My parents are gone. My dad died in’ 92 and my mom in 2012. They were older when I was born, so I didn’t have the benefit of them in my life as long as some people do, but I thank them for everything they did for me just about every day.
How blessed are we who grew up in a secure loving home? We share the privilege of having been read to, prayed with, and appropriately punished if we ever got into trouble at school. (There were never any questions in our home about whether or not the teacher was right—no never.)
My father (pictured above in the 70’s) was a stern German Lutheran who was raised to believe children were to be seen and not heard. In this case, the poor guy never had a chance, he was the father of four girls. He believed in spanking if really necessary to make his parental point, but never very hard. He loved and supported us completely and always always did the most important thing that all children need: He loved our mother.
Jim and I are soon going to Florida to visit his mom who is 90 years young and a blessing to everyone who knows her. She and his father raised him with the same combination of love, responsibility and accountability that ruled my childhood home. He too feels so grateful to these parents who cared for him, made him work, applauded his accomplishments and held him accountable.
I know a lot of people don’t look back at their childhoods with such rosy memories. But great families can be made by people who didn’t come from one. I see it all the time. So my prayer today is for the family—especially the fathers.
I pray that every man will love honor and marry the mother of his children. That he will cherish that commitment and forge a partnership that is indestructible. I pray that he will read to, pray with and hold his children accountable to the laws of God and man, and love them, molding them into children who will honor their parents all the days of their lives.
As we sow into our children’s lives, when we model high standards in an atmosphere of love, laughter, work, and respect, let us remember that we are giving our kids not only the keys to negotiate the world, but we build for them the very foundation of a happy, successful life.
Amen.
Nancy
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