Parenting Fears of Generational Sins

My husband comes from a long line of skilled men. His grandfather taught high school shop class for thirty-seven years, and those skills of carpentry, auto repair, and overall wonder for how things work have been passed down through the family throughout many years of projects together. When a lifetime is spent alongside another person, transfer is inevitable. I see it even in the words my husband uses, his facial expressions, and the cadence of his prayers. It makes me smile to see the connection of these men, and more so, when I see those traces emerge in our own children.

While we relish the passing on of traditions, hobbies, and character traits – there are certain habits in our lineage that, if we were honest, we don’t want to impart. Sins like anxiety, anger, or lack of self-control tend to grip tight to our family lines. We may be accustomed to facing our perfectionist tendencies, a short temper, or anxiety, but it is crushing to see those same patterns take root in our own children. We promise we will defeat it for their sake, yet every time we slip and fall, our grand accuser, Satan, stands at the ready to tell us we will never change – to whisper it’s already too late for our children…

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