Here you have the front and "rear" view of Mount Rushmore. We found the "butt" picture on a T-shirt in one of the gift shops on our vacation. It made me smile, but not enough to buy the shirt. I decided to take a picture instead. I thought it was appropriate for this post, because it's what I feel like--a butt!
After reading my last post, Harold commented that he thought my last paragraph about mommas protecting their children came off sounding like I didn't think other moms (human ones) protected their children. That was SO not what I meant. So, let me start by apologizing if that was how you thought I meant that. I don't always communicate what I intend.
What I was getting at was that by worldly standards it is not popular to protect our children. One of the biggest arguments people use against homeschooling is, "parents can't protect their children forever." And I absolutely agree 100%. I'm not looking to protect forever, but you better bet that I intend to protect them right now while they are still young and tender.
If a man is going to plant a tree, he wouldn't dream of putting a newly-sown sapling out into the harsh elements of the open outdoors. Instead, he shelters it and tends it carefully, fertilizing and watering it carefully until it can withstand the weather. In this way, he can see to it that the tree has the best nourishment so that it can grow strong; eliminating the rotting effects of too much of a good thing or the withering effects of not enough of what is necessary. Even when he plants his young tree out in the "real world," he still fertilizes and waters it carefully, staking it with supports all around. In this way, he can still allow the plant to become accustomed to the elements, but he can also see the effects they are having on the tree and adjust the support as necessary until one day, he is able to see that his loving care and nurturing of the tree has helped it to grow into a fine, strong, healthy tree, able to stand on its own--to stand strong against the deleterious elements that will surely come as it continues to grow and mature. He can remove the supports because by now, its roots are deep and well established. Although the harsh winds and torrential rains will surely come, his tree has grown strong enough to stand firm, straight, and strong.
Our job as Christian parents is to tend our children as carefully and as intentionally as the man who tended that tree. That kind of parenting isn't popular by the world's standards. That was what I meant. I think all of us, as Christian parents, respond to that calling, the calling to protect and care for our children, differently. For us it is homeschooling and keeping our kids close so we are able to "filter" what goes in--because what goes in surely comes out. :) Ask me how I know... I don't claim that we do this perfectly by any stretch of the imagination! Far from it. Harold and I look at each other and shake our heads and shrug our shoulders on a regular basis, wondering how on earth we strayed so far from the "mark." But at least this is our goal, and that's a start. We press on... And, hopefully one of these days, we'll find that our own saplings have grown and matured and their tender roots have grown deep and strong enough that they can shelter and protect their own sweet saplings successfully one day. (And, boy! I hope their saplings give them 1/2 the grief they gave us!!! Right, MOM? --Just kidding, they're pretty good little saplings so far!)
1 comment:
BUTTS have it, something we all have!!! You were on a roll, why did you end it, I was in the cheering section and all of a sudden I had to quit. You and Harold are lead by God to do what you are doing, and He will be glorified through it, keep pressing toward that mark of the high calling!
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