A Letter To My Son

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.

Psalm 127:3-4

My dear boy, oh how I love thee. Everything about your precious face, your adventuresome spirit, and your strong will make me smile. My womb has surely been blessed. On the day you were born the Lord was doing a  great thing. You were placed in my care and when you breathed your first breath, I was then at that moment, made a mother.

Words cannot be sufficient when it comes to the awe of staring into the eyes of a newborn babe. God, the Creator of life, had perfected you in the womb and when He was finished, He had you arrive in the ordained day. And what a day it was. One cannot be in labor, be filled with pain and in travail, birth a child, and NOT see the hand of God. To refuse this is to be blind.

My son, our Lord has great plans for you. I know it for I already see Him at work in your heart. You've been given an able body, but whats more, you've been given a strong mind and a clear tongue. I pray you will grow up in wisdom and in the fear of God. I pray that you will be courageous and yet ever gentle in spirit.

Remember your favorite, David. He was a shepherd boy and cared for the lambs, but he killed what would have them. Remember his zeal for the Lord; his faith that God would protect him; his loyalty and honor; his remembrance of past promises and how he looked forward to the future promises of God.

Remember also my son, that the mighty in faith, even David, can fall into terrible sin. But God, He gives new hearts to His children and so be quick to turn away from sin and folly, be quick to fall on your knees before God with tears lamenting of your sin and ready to be filled with God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Be humble.

You are still but a child and I, Lord willing, have many years more with you. I pray that God would make me a wise woman and mother, that He would make it clear how to raise you well, and that my love and labor with you would not be in vain.

My dear boy, my son, my heart, I love you.

Always know that there's One who loves you more, One who made this world, One who gives true happiness, peace, and meaning...and only One with the power to save.

Jesus.

Cling to Him as I do. For if you do you will be blessed with all spiritual blessings heaven has to offer.

I love you.

Love, Your Mama

One of my favorite passages of Scripture:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption though his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:3-14

Here's a myriad of pictures from Jude's birthday party last weekend.

Teach 'Em Well

Pardon me while I'm gettin' on my soap box.

Right now I have a young man weed eating all of the fox tails that have about darn near taken over the farm. He is a sophomore in high school and has called my husband asking for work. He is wanting to work this Summer to obviously make some money and be productive. I am thankful to see a work ethic being formed and shaped, parents instilling a sense of drive in their boy, and I'm thankful to be able to give someone a job. Work is a beautiful thing.

I get very frustrated and flustered at our culture these days. There is this mentality that hard work is for the 'lower class' or for those who aren't smart enough to go to college. No one wants to sweat, work, do physical labor, and just plain 'get after it' when it comes to making a living. We are told that it is better to make money with our brain than with our brawn. I want to reply to this, "Why not both?"

We have a sea of boys and girls, young people, and adults who don't know how to work. Sure, they have skills that they learned in college that has prepared them for a job that they are desiring, but do they know how to do any of the day to day stuff? Do they know how to mow a lawn and fix the lawn mower when it breaks down? Do they know how to replace a faucet, fix a creaky door, patch a hole in the wall, change the oil in the car, and so on? Can they cook a meal, clean the bathrooms, do laundry, and maintain a home? Do they have any life skills that are needed for our more basic needs?

Let me just say I think college is highly beneficial in our day and age. It's hard to get about any job available without any sort of degree and I think that is a good and a bad thing. Life experience can be a better teacher in many cases than a classroom. Now I want a surgeon who has studied hard, learned all about the body and it's functions, and who has experience performing surgeries. I want a lawyer to defend my innocence who knows the law through and through and has spent the time to learn how the court system operates. I want an accountant who knows how to properly handle the paperwork and be very smart with the math skills needed. I am NOT knocking education, but I am trying to make a point.

Physical work produces an enduring spirit in a person and it encourages common sense. My husband and I make it a point to involve our kids in our work. Whether it's Seth taking the kids to a construction job and letting them see what he does or myself involving the kids in the kitchen or having them help me do chores around the house. My son is already learning how to pour concrete and helps with the to-do's around the farm. Both of my kids help feed the animals, clean out the barn and chicken coop, set the table, clean the house, and etc. They love to help and we love that they are learning how to work and the satisfaction that comes from seeing what has been accomplished. When my kids see Seth or I come to a problem, they also see us figure out how to solve it and move forward. Problem solving is something that needs to be taught, instilled, and encouraged. It doesn't come naturally. Don't believe me? Just watch any child that can't figure out what they're desiring and usually they start to throw a fit.

Don't think that I'm saying, "if you don't live on a farm, do construction, or make a living doing physical labor, then you don't know how to work or are lazy." I know plenty of people to don't work a 'physical' job, but are very hard working. My point is mainly geared towards parents.

Parents, don't fall into the trap that your kids should be allowed to play all day, every day. Don't tell yourself that since they have to work for the rest of their lives, that they should be able to do whatever they want right now. If you do, I'm afraid your setting them up for failure. Teach them how to work, how to use their bodies to do something useful and to use their brains to always figure out a better way. Teach them that being productive can in many ways be more satisfying than hours of entertainment. Teach them that work is a part of reality and that rest is a reward for the time spent accomplishing a task. Teach them that brains and brawn work better together than apart.

All-in-all, kids should be able to be kids, they should get plenty of time to play and exercise their imagination, they should be taught how to work with their bodies and how to think with their brains. They need to know that all of life is not fun and play, or they'll be like so many today - selfish and lazy.

I know I'm a young parent and so you probably think that I need about 15 more years of parenting under my belt in order to give this advice. I am giving you this advice out of experience though. Maybe not out of experience of being a parent, but experience of being a child who was taught by two very hard working, smart, and productive parents. Parents who thought it better for me to learn how to raise animals, grow a garden, take care of a house, be studious in school, and to know what was involved in real life than having me grow up to believe that life was all about gratifying self.

Steppin' down now.