Sometimes I get on them for wanting to find the easy way out on their school work, like using a calculator to do the math. Then I realize how often I don't want to do the hard mental work of thinking something through. Let's just use a sermon outline from a book instead of studying for myself.
I teach them how important it is to be kind, and watch what they say, and control their tempers, and, and, and. But I lose my temper, and am not kind, and don't watch what I say, and, and, and.
I tell them how important Bible study is, and prayer, and obedience to God 100%, and being a good example to others, etc. Then I make excuses for not studying, and say the same canned prayers, and figure 95% is good enough today I'll get forgiveness later, etc.
When I do all these kinds of things on a regular basis and they see it (don't deceive yourself, they do see it) how do I think they will turn out? I know we are not perfect fathers like God is, but we have a duty and a responsibility to be the very best we can. Tomorrow may be too late. The habits we are teaching by example may already be taking root and crowding out the teaching we are doing verbally.
The thing is we can't just fix it in one day, like doing a restoration on a house it will take a great deal of time and energy to change things that have been decaying for years. Some things will be easier than others, but just trying to put a coat of paint on it will not work. The rottenness is deeper than the surface and must be ripped out and replaced with something solid. It is better in the long run to do a thorough job of it than to try to do a little patch here and there.
What do you need to restore in your life? Or maybe your house wasn't built quite right from the start and you need to go back to the foundation and make repairs. Don't wait! Don't keep building on a shoddy foundation.
The good news is that God can do amazing things with you no matter how badly your past has been destroyed. Joel 2:21-27 "Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. (22) Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. (23) Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (24) And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. (25) And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. (26) And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. (27) And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed."