A Father's Words

Ocassionally I wax poetic. Cheryl and I are extremely honored to be the parents of Alethea and Karisa. When they were both at home I studied what the Scriptures said about parenting. I found the Word had much more to say to children than to their parents. I wrote the following out of that study.

Dear Daughter,

Listen to the words of your father,
righteousness is fulfilled

not by avoiding evil alone,
but by doing good always.

For this Christ came
to free from sin
Not from its penalty alone
but from its control as well
so we might fulfill his righteousness
in all our ways to bless

Honor your father and your mother
that your days may be long

seek ways to build them up
in their service renew your strength.

Find the good in you that first flowed from them
Let it shine before them and they will glow more brightly

Add to the wealth of their memories your own nuggets of gold,
fuel their hopes for your future and the future of those to come

Where they have failed
never fail

Where they have excelled
soar on the winds of their courage

Know and be true to yourself
Know and be true to them

From them you came
Unto them you will be gathered

JDJ
8-11-96
revised 8-24-98