Sunday, July 26, 2009

WHEN THE RAIN COMES TUMBLING DOWN

While riding around in the New Orleans and Metairie area, my husband and I have observed the many houses that are still under reconstruction. Many home owners are having their foundations raised or reinforced. Some of these folks have not yet recovered from Hurricane Katrina and others are preparing for the future. I can assure you they are in hopes that they never see another “Katrina” in their lifetime, but since we are not in control of these things, they are wisely planning ahead. They know that regardless of anything they could do structurally, it is ultimately the foundation that will help insure that their homes will survive another hurricane or flood of that nature.

My children grew up singing the little song about the wise man who built his house upon the rock and when the rains came tumbling down his house stood firm, but when the foolish man built his house upon the sand and the rains came tumbling down, his house went, “SPLAT”! I can still picture them singing this in church and doing the hand signals that went along with it. I wonder if I could get them to sing it again for old times sake? PROBABLY NOT!!

Approximately eighteen years ago (wow, just as I typed that I can’t believe it has been that long), we had a couple come to our church who had children about the same age as ours: three and an infant. Their stay was temporary and too short as far as we were concerned. The dad was working on his doctorate degree in music and they were obligated to return to Bob Jones University in Greenville South Carolina. We quickly bonded with this family and treasured the three years that they were here.

They loved God and it showed in every aspect of their lives, including and especially in the raising of their children. As we watched and observed them, their parenting skills had a profound affect and influence on us. Here are just a few of the things we learned from this little family that God sent to us during three formidable years of our children‘s lives, things they left with us long after their return to South Carolina:

-The easiest part about raising children is loving them.
-One of the hardest parts is making them lovable to others.
-We love them before birth and just expect that others will
love them too, but this is not true.
-These parents insured that their children were loved and enjoyed by others.
-Bad behavior especially directed towards others was never
excusable or reinforced no matter the reason. They had
definite ideas about this and did not want their children to
grow up with the idea that it was ok to act or treat others
differently just because they were tired or not feeling well.
-Correction and discipline were consistent and done out of love and nothing more.
-They instilled in their children an unselfish attitude and directed them towards putting the needs of others first.

All of that said, to say this:

Thanks being to God who sent this family into our lives, my husband and I adopted these same values and ideas and strived to instill them into our children. It was important to us that they were loved by others. They grew up in Sunday school, learning about God and about His love. They knew He was a part of our lives everyday and not just reserved for Sunday worship. I like to think that for all the times we failed, we succeeded in so many more. I have no doubt that we were building a solid foundation for them so that when the storms of life came, the ones they would have no control over and the ones they would create for themselves because while using the free will God gave them they would choose wrongly, the foundation would be there, a place to go back to, a place to rebuild and start over. They would be able to dig out of the rubble around them and rebuild on the foundation that was laid for them so many years ago.

Whosever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. Luke 6: 47-48

So my hope for my son and daughter’s future is this:

THAT WHEN THE RAIN COMES TUMBLING DOWN,
AND BEGINS TO BEAT VEHEMENTLY UPON THEM,
AND THE FLOODS RISE, THEY CAN STAND FIRM
BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS LOVED THEM ENOUGH
TO HELP CONSTRUCT A STRONG FOUNDATION!

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