“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”  - Proverbs 22:6 

My mother grew up in England and met my father who was serving there in the US Airforce. The story goes, he and his friend followed her and her friend home after seeing them in the shops. He did luckily gather the courage to speak to her and eventually a courtship ensued. He did ask her to marry and she had but one stipulation. She wanted seven children. He agreed. The pastor at her church declined to marry them as she was a British girl and he a ‘Yank’. Not discouraged they did find a priest who agreed to marry them. (I chuckle as it has been 64 years and they are still together!)  They moved to the US and he held to his agreement. I am thus the middle of seven children, 5 boys and 2 girls.

I grew up in a small town in Ohio and learned the right ways from my parents. It was a time when ‘wait until your father gets home’ was a statement that really made me stop whatever I was doing. It meant that I had pushed her to her limit, which thinking back now was beyond fair, and that I would thus need to explain to my father what I had done.  My father’s discipline was typically swift and non-negotiable. I used to think that I learned the love of God from my mother and the fear of God from my father. But now know I learned from both. It was my father’s love and respect for my mother that drove the fuel of my punishment. I grew to adulthood knowing the love of God and family.

On the best day of my life, I was fortunate enough to meet my soul mate. Thankfully she did not have the seven children stipulation for marriage. We did marry and were blessed with a son (and eventually a beautiful daughter).  Shortly after Jonas was born my parents did come to visit. My mother had not been in the house an hour when she turned to Marcie and said, “You do know you will need to be the "disciplinarian”.  Funny how a mother knows her children better than they know themselves.

 Fortunately, our children do have a mother like I did that has the ability to be firm, to teach them what they need to know (sometimes I admit she teaches me a bit too!) and for them to never doubt her love. I am not sure if she has ever used the ‘wait until your father gets home’ threat and still they are growing in both knowledge and faith. They are helpful, kindhearted, respectful and loving. They do know right from wrong. They will add to humanity in a positive way. One day I am sure they too will be parents and teach their children as they have been taught.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for giving me and my wife parents who raised us in your love and with a foundation of faith. Thank you for the blessing of children for us to do the same. Please watch over our family and help us to grow and act as you would want. Please guide our parenting so that our children continue to learn as you would have them act. Amen.