“Discipline your children while there is hope;
do not set your heart on their destruction.”
--Proverbs 19: 18
“Train children in the right way,
and when old, they will not stray.”
--Proverbs 22: 6
I’m a big fan of the late John Denver and one of my favorite songs is a ballad that he sings about his uncle, called “Matthew.” I enjoy riding my Air-Dyne® bicycle to the fast beat of the banjo in the background, because it really gets my heart pumping. Even more than that, though, I love some of the words to the song, including, “I have an Uncle named Matthew… Was his father’s only boy… Was his mother’s pride and joy… Life was mostly having fun…”
After losing everything in a Kansas tornado, the song continues, “(Matthew) found a family Bible, faith as solid as a stone.” The chorus that repeats several times throughout the song includes the words, “And joy was just the thing that he was raised on; love was just the way to live and die.” (From the Album, An Evening With John Denver, by John Denver, Disc 1, Tract 7, published by Sony BMG, 2001, 3:52).
I sometimes play that song several times during my 35-minute workout because the applause, the cheering, and the whistling at the end of the live performance (recorded on my iPod) all leave me feeling really happy. It is the way childhood is supposed to be—with pride and joy and love from both of one’s parents...
To read the rest of this chapter, you will now need to buy my book, Simple Faith, Mighty Faith, published by Cornhusker Press and released 7-3-2011. Go to my website, http://www.JerriHaussler.com for ordering details. Thank you!* * *
Thoughts to Ponder/Points for Discussion
- Can you remember some instances from childhood or parenthood where you made mistakes? What have you done to forgive or be forgiven?
- Do you know a family that is currently having problems? Is there something you can do to support them?
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