"Membership in the family of God is neither inconsequential or something to be casually ignored. The church is God's agenda for the world. Jesus said, "I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it." The church is indestructable and will exist for eternity. It will outlive this universe, and so will your role in it."
- Rick Warren
Saturday, May 1, 2010
I've cleaned out our attic and I am currently going through the old boxes, deciding what to keep and what to throw away. In the process, I've come across some old journals, dating back quite a ways.
Here are excerpts from something I wrote on August 14, 1989:
Well, here I am at the brink of parenthood . . . I can't wait for that baby.Bolding mine.
Some thoughts:
1. I'm tired of veiled warnings, dark sarcasm, etc . . . Just as in marriage (which comes with its share of warnings) I intend to value my child and take great joy in this gift. It's not work with that attitude . . . if the attitude is one of resentment, how can you help but be exhausted?
2. Jill is so beautiful.
. . .
How can I explain how I feel about parenthood? [interesting that I put this in the present tense, since our first child was still three weeks away] It's so different than anything I have ever felt before. I pray that I can be a good father and train up my child, love my child, and eventually let go of my child.
This entry was a reaction, I'm guessing, to the typical "oh boy, you're about to have a kid. You're doomed" snickering one gets when one is expecting progeny. The same dark warning are usually to be endured also before marriage, like it's going to be nothing but work, work, work. Well, yeah, there's that element. But, egad, if that's the sum total of one's attitude heading into marriage or children, I think some important truths and blessings are being missed.
I'm quite a bit older now than the young man I was when I wrote this almost 21 years ago. Being a parent has been and is still the greatest adventure of my life, and I have experienced the heights and the depths, more than I would have imagined. The jury is still out, but one day I'll stand before the One who will let me know how I did.
And I just high-fived my younger self, figuratively, of course, for this reminder - and especially that last sentence, which is where we find ourselves more and more now, most especially with the eldest two of our four kids.
And Jill is still beautiful.
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Comments on "Great Insight From a Young, Inexperienced Punk":
3. G. Frederick
- 05/02/2010 12:11 am CDT
Wow! I wish I had been that insightful before I had my children. I still think that was what I was thinking at the time, but couldn't voice it. I still hope that I turned out to be the dad I wanted to be. I still love my "children" and think they turned out exceptionally well, probably despite me, and most definitely because of the grace of God. What a wonderful post, Bill.
7. Milly
- 05/03/2010 8:44 am CDT
I love this.
Being a parent is without a doubt the best thing that has come from an abusive train wreck of a failed marriage. I love the challenges of being the mom. I love spending time with my children even when they have pushed me to the edge. It seems that our lives haven’t turned out like that big puffy dream that people think it should have been. But it is rich and wonderful. My children and I have come together through a lot with a sad smashed up grace and poise but we have pulled together and still trudge on with God in hand.
I tell people when I hear that they are having a child “You are in for a great ride so hold on.”
Leave a Comment:
Young man, thanks for sharing your feelings with us.
Jill is still beautiful and so are you.
I'm thankful you were willing to start the journey
with Jill and God.
Love you.
PS: Your youngest shared with me that he looks forward to being married and having kids.
Why? He said that his parents will be great grand parents.