Lots to learn

I love love love the Experiencing God devotional by Henry and Richard Blackaby. We completed this study at our church in 2008. Since then I have reread and referred to this workbook numerous times. Each and every time, God teaches me something new. In it, the authors explain how God has always spoken to HIS people in unique and special ways. For example, Moses is the only person known to have heard from God through a burning bush. Furthermore, other than Jonah's in-the-belly-of-a-fish situation, no one has heard from God on the INSIDE of an animal. That's just how God works. There is no one-size-fits-all way HE communicates.
I love that God created us as individuals; completely different, yet so much like those around us. And how awesome is it that the KING OF THE UNIVERSE would choose to speak to me and you. No matter how we experience GOD (through the Bible, prayer, church, circumstances) we can be sure that God will handle us uniquely. Why? Because he loves us. We are HIS chosen children. (Romans 9)
So what has God been showing me lately? Just as HE deals with me as an indivdual, I need to raise my children as unique and separate. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Kevin and I have 3 boys. They have the same mother and same father. This is where the similarities end. They are all so different - it continually amazes! It is easy as parents to use the same tactics (regarding communicating love, discipline, and self-worth) with each child. How wrong we are to do this? God is convicting me of trying to mold my children simply by treating them the same way. Don't get me wrong I am certainly not promoting favortism. I fully believe we should love each of our children equally, however I don't think we have to treat them the same to show our love.
My Manning is sensitive. He responds quickly to discipline because he is attuned to feelings. (Not only his own feelings but to those of others.) He hates for his brothers to be upset and is quick to come to their rescue. My Myers, however, is ...well....not sensitive. He is the sweetest, most loving child ever. BUT....he is not sensitive to the discipline techniques that work so well with Manning. He simply doesn't seem to care. (His laid back persona is going to be very beneficial later in life!) So right now, we are re-evaulating how we teach and guide Myers. And I am sure in 2 years we will be at this same point as we try to figure out what works best with McCann.
I am so thankful that our Heavenly Father gives us the perfect example of personalized relationships.