Moms and Dads- do you ever find yourself wondering if you are doing anything right as a parent? Have you ever wondered if your kids would ever understand WHY you made certain choices and if they would ever appreciate the sacrifices you have made?
Those are common thoughts and feelings that we experience as parents in our weary times. Life is hard, isn’t it? Parenting is not easy. Relationships are not always want we want them to be.
No, we don’t parent to have our children agree with what we do. And we don’t parent with the expectation of appreciation. But sometimes, we long for that encouraging word, don’t we?
Recently, our sons Tim and Nate wrote two loving, grateful posts on facebook for me and Rick. I’ve posted these not to brag about our sons or to say “look at us, we did it all right!” Because we certainly did not. We relied on God’s help all along the way, and still do! (Guess what? You never quit being a parent, no matter the age of your children! We’re still learning!)
But, I’m sharing these posts with you in hopes that these will offer some encouragement to the mom or dad of young children or teenagers who feel like the journey is just too hard and there is not fruit….yet!
Keep hope, and keep doing the right thing! One day, you will see and reap the fruit. Galatians 6:9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
(if you missed Nate’s post- here it is)
From Tim (Age: 40)
“Too often we only say nice things about people after they die and we are often the most guilty of this with our own family members.
In a conversation today I was reminded just what fine people my parents are and it made me think to take a moment and just compliment them for the Facebook world to see.
My parents, Rick and Marilyn Boyer, for those of you who do not know, successfully raised 14 children and managed to avoid killing any of us in the process! And all of this while homeschooling, no less!
As I have gotten older and married and have 4 children of my own, I could not have asked for any greater role model than my own parents. Though I am certain I made them angry more than my fair share of the time, I can honestly say I can never remember either of my parents ever once yelling or screaming at any of their kids, and I deserved it more than most!
Even those of us who were the biggest problem children, (such as me, as hard as that is for most of you to believe), were treated with complete kindness and gentleness even when discipline was necessary and the greatest trait and attribute of my parents is their love for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ administered as love on their children.
On so many occasions I have seen other frustrated and irate parents, whether in public or even visiting in their homes , yelling or screaming in frustration at their children. My parents never did anything like this and it is to much shame that I cannot claim to have been as kind to my children, even as much as I love them, as my parents were to me , though admittedly they set a nearly unattainable standard that I have never seen in any other couple.
Even in times of desperation, such as watching my younger brother die of cancer while being nearly financially broke for as many years as I can remember growing up, I never saw them lose their temper or lose their cool with us or with anyone else, for that matter.
Having lived with or nearby my parents for 40 years of life, very few people in this world can claim to know them better than I myself. And I can state unequivocally that they truly are the greatest parents I have ever observed. yes, they make mistakes just like any other human being has who has ever lived,yet what stands out the most about them to me is their love for Christ , their uncanny ability to live out their faith in public and in private life and to live out that love for Christ in a very real and tangible way that makes it impossible to question their faith in Christ and their dedication to their relationships with him.
And that must be the very reason why their love for us kids was always so evident even in times that we must have made them furious , though they never betrayed that anger to the extent that i could tell as a child and later, even as as teenager.
If I can be even half as kind to, and display even half the love for, my own children that our parents did for me, I will consider it to be a success.
Thanks, Mom and Dad, for an unequaled and unrivaled human picture of Christ and the love that He has for His church in your love toward each other and toward us!” ~Tim December 2016
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What a blessing. Thank you for sharing.