Parent’s University: An Interview With Cindy Seay Pt. 1
Posted on 04.02.08 in Parenthood Parents University and there are 3 comments.
I am SO excited about today’s installment of Parent’s University. Instead of hearing from our peers, we’re going to hear from a mom who has done what we all long to do…
Who Is Cindy Seay?
Cindy and her husband have raised five...FIVE...children who are loving God, following Him and ministering to others. I find that pretty incredible.
Today she’s sharing a bit of the wisdom she’s learned along the way. But first, let me introduce you to her children.
You might recognize a few of them…
The Seay “Kids”
Brian works for Compassion International and helped put together the Uganda Blogging trip.
Robbie is in a band called The Robbie Seay Band. Their new album Give Yourself Away is completely amazing.
Chris is a well known pastor and author.
Jenn and her husband minister to college students (randomly, Jenn also lived across the hall from me my freshman year at Baylor).
Jessica is a photographer, blogger and student at Houston Baptist University.
The Interview
What are some practical ways you taught your children about Jesus?
When my kids were little we loved talking about Jesus in the dailies of living – the flowers, trees, rain, praying for “bo-bo’s” to heal or for run away pets to return home.
As the kids got older we involved them in our prayer needs – we were always honest (within age-appropriate boundaries) about struggles i.e. finances, church issues, personal spiritual journeys, etc. We chose to send our kids to public school and felt that we could help them become true warriors for Christ by teaching them how to deal with the realities of the world as they faced it within their school life.
We never wanted our kids to feel that they were “preacher’s kids” (though they were). We wanted them to know that first and most important they were our kids and who they were did not depend on what church members thought about them. We wanted them to simply learn to love Jesus and live for Him as “normal” kids not just within the context of church.
Tell us about your personal devotional life and the part it played in being a successful parent.
One of my biggest struggles when my kids were little was finding time to be alone with God.
It seemed that not matter how early I got up to have my quiet time that one of the kids woke up at that time also. The enemy did all he could do to keep me from time with the Lord. Moms always have to be creative to grab some quiet time.
I found God was interested in every detail of my life and I would find a quiet place at different times during the day just to bring Him my needs. That was more than encouraging and comforting to me when things were tough.
I had a great mentor during the years when my kids were young and still remember today some of the practical things she taught me – mostly combining my walk with the Lord and parenting in very “normal” ways.
She also challenged me in the Word by asking me, on a regular basis, what God was teaching me.
I also kept a journal and when things were really tough I found such reassurance by re-reading past journal entries and being reminded of how God had provided in the past. Church work was hard and money was more than tight.
Remembering what God had done for us in similar situations kept me standing firm. 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
What advice do you have for adoptive parents?
God gave us Jessica when our youngest son was 12 years old.
We had no idea that God intended for us to start parenting all over again. The journey of raising Jess and at the same time working for a Christian adoption agency has taught me so much.
I would say to adoptive parents – God has a plan for them and for their child. Find your confidence as an adoptive parent in Ephesians 1. The Word tells us that God knew us before the foundation of the earth and that He had a plan for us before we were ever born.
As an adoptive parent you can be assured that God has chosen you to be parents to this child. As an adopted child, that child can be assured that they are not a mistake or an accident – God had a plan for them before they were ever created and a plan for them to be a part of their family long before they were born. How awesome is that!!!!
Of course, I also believe that it is important to maintain a connection between the adopted child and their birth family. This give them the answers they will need as they grow older and removes the sense of rejection.
How did you stay organized with 5 kids?
If you have ever studied temperaments you will understand what I mean when I tell you that I am a melancholy to the extreme. Therefore, I was obsessed with finding ways to be organized. I must admit I took it to the extreme more than once.
I had 4 kids - all born within 5 years. I loved reading books on how to be an organized homemaker or a super-mom and then I would do all that I could to become that person.
At one point I actually had a card file that listed all house cleaning tasks and how often they should be done and the last time it was done. I often spent too much time working on my organizational skills instead of just enjoying my kids.
If I could do it all over again – I would sit down in the floor more and just play.
Stay Tuned
Stay tuned for the second half of this interview tomorrow. Click here for part two.
(Also stay tuned later today for my second giveaway here at TSLOK.)
There are 3 comments.
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The Comments:
Just 5? Let me know if you want references to some potential interviewees who have raised 8-13 kids who are grown now and are following hard after God.
In the meantime, I should probably read this post for tips on raising my two.
MB
Apr 03, 08 at 08:51 am
I appreciate this post. I am shamelessly asking you to read my blog today and gain some of your wonderful insight and beg for a future Parent’s University topic. Okay. This is embarrassing, even on the internet where I am a virtual unknown. (Pun intended. 
Apr 03, 08 at 09:55 am
I know Cindy and all 5 kids, and yes, she is a TERRIFIC mom!!
I was at their house alot when we were all teenagers, and it was FUN! With 4 kids there was something going on all the time, but my impression was that everybody just went with it. They really were a family that worked as a team. I truly loved my time with the Seays, and I hope my one sweetie turns out half as fantastic as any one of their kids. 
Via the Feed
MamasBoy
Apr 03, 08 at 05:14 am