“If parenthood came with a GPS [Global Positioning System], it would mostly just say ‘recalculating’.” (Simon Holland)
I think God is kind to give the majority of parents their
offspring when they are young, and have the energy to raise them. Parenthood is
definitely an exercise in the trial and error method. No children in a family
are alike, and the way one child was handled may not be the right way to parent
other children in a family unit. I sincerely believe that every child is
challenging to raise (some to a greater degree, and others to a much lesser
degree).
As for being a father to my daughter, Allena, there
are some great things I taught her (along with her mother) like enjoying
reading, serving others, and having a relationship with God. The negative things she has inadvertently
learned from me I hope she will not pass on to her children one day. I think fathers
and mothers often second-guess their efforts with child-rearing. I don’t think
that needs to happen. Trust your knowledge in this area (as you continue to observe the behaviors of your child (children)
I do agree
with this quote by Andy Smithson: “The sign of great parenting is not the child’s behavior.
The sign of truly great parenting is
the parent’s behavior.” If I could go
back into time to change all my parenting mistakes, would I? I will have to
say, “No.” I am happy with the loving, caring daughter that Bobbi and I raised.
She is exactly what I dreamed of when I was hoping to be a father one day. As
for me, I am not pleased with everything about myself. There are things that I
need to change. It’s hard to remember life before ENCOURAGE ME. It’s helped to
give my life meaning (in addition to family and friends giving me purpose).
As a parent, I
can instill in my child all the right and godly things that they need to be a
productive adult (in my eyes). God doesn’t always work with our expectations
concerning our children. Only your heavenly Father knows the time period it
will take to get your child’s attention. Proverbs 22:6 (TPT) says: Dedicate your
children to God, and point them in the way that they should go, and the values
they’ve learned from you will be with them for life.
Part of
parenting is giving up more control as your child ages (and matures into
adulthood).Your child was only given to you on loan from His true parent, God
the Father. Are you ready to finally give your child (children back? It’s a
hard realization to come to as a parent, but it’s time return what was never
yours to give them what your heavenly Father wants them to have (for the rest
of their life).[i]
[i] This post was requested by friend and blog member,
Cathy Fritzler.
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