Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground,
and breathed into him…
You’ve been working hard! We’ve been through one week, living our lives with purpose, with intention – walking toward the Cross. Perhaps it is time to slow down.
One of the highlights of my day actually happens late in the evening, after putting my children to bed. My boys typically fall asleep pretty quickly. I will come visit their bedroom and stand and watch them sleep. I like to put my hand on their back or chest, depending on their position, and feel the rhythmic rise and fall of their breathing. Such beautiful creatures.
I suppress a small seed of disappointment, knowing that they will not forever stay this way: simple, sweet, innocent. They will not always adore their dad. They will not always listen to his voice, his instruction, advice. They will not always show the uninhibited affection for him, vying for his every attention. He will not forever remain their superhero…
And I wonder.
I wonder if these were the thoughts of God, as He shaped and formed and eventually breathed life into man? What pictures flashed before Him as He stood man up on his feet and nodded approvingly, saying out loud, “This is good… this is very good”?
It’s time to remember who our superheroes are.
If you had only 30 days left to live, wouldn’t you revisit those affections you once had for your parents? I know that there are some of you who feel you have “difficult” parents. But the bottom line is this: they created you, nurtured you, raised you up into who you are today. And whether you want to admit it or not, their fuel for that effort was… love.
Think about your parents. Think about how they continue to teach you, shape you, mold you, love you. When was the last time you reaffirmed your love in return?
Challenge #8: Recall some of your best memories with your parents, either your mother or father or both. What leaps out? What do you love about your father, mother, or guardian? Write down the attributes of your parents that you love most. Then do one more thing: tell them you love them… write them a card… do something unexpected to show your love.
Thank God for your parents. Thank God that there are still superheroes today.
Friday’s Challenge #9: SING
and breathed into him…
You’ve been working hard! We’ve been through one week, living our lives with purpose, with intention – walking toward the Cross. Perhaps it is time to slow down.
One of the highlights of my day actually happens late in the evening, after putting my children to bed. My boys typically fall asleep pretty quickly. I will come visit their bedroom and stand and watch them sleep. I like to put my hand on their back or chest, depending on their position, and feel the rhythmic rise and fall of their breathing. Such beautiful creatures.
I suppress a small seed of disappointment, knowing that they will not forever stay this way: simple, sweet, innocent. They will not always adore their dad. They will not always listen to his voice, his instruction, advice. They will not always show the uninhibited affection for him, vying for his every attention. He will not forever remain their superhero…
And I wonder.
I wonder if these were the thoughts of God, as He shaped and formed and eventually breathed life into man? What pictures flashed before Him as He stood man up on his feet and nodded approvingly, saying out loud, “This is good… this is very good”?
It’s time to remember who our superheroes are.
If you had only 30 days left to live, wouldn’t you revisit those affections you once had for your parents? I know that there are some of you who feel you have “difficult” parents. But the bottom line is this: they created you, nurtured you, raised you up into who you are today. And whether you want to admit it or not, their fuel for that effort was… love.
Think about your parents. Think about how they continue to teach you, shape you, mold you, love you. When was the last time you reaffirmed your love in return?
Challenge #8: Recall some of your best memories with your parents, either your mother or father or both. What leaps out? What do you love about your father, mother, or guardian? Write down the attributes of your parents that you love most. Then do one more thing: tell them you love them… write them a card… do something unexpected to show your love.
Thank God for your parents. Thank God that there are still superheroes today.
Friday’s Challenge #9: SING
I want to be the first to write this one...
ReplyDeleteMy Dad is the greatest man I have ever known. His patience and gentleness are simply unsurpassed, and his love of God, of His word is incredible. And even though we don't always agree, he is the World's Best Listener. I love him so much.
Then there is my Mom... if you ever thought that J.D. had some crazy ideas - take that notion and multiply it by 10 and you end up with my mother. And yet, that is where our bond seems to lie - I often find comfort and solace in her, knowing that she meets the same resistance, fights many of the same battles I find myself in. She is a red-headed firecracker and I always love being with her, laughing with her, or just watching classic movies with her. Love you, Mom.
Sometimes, I sure miss my folks...
So...when I was little my mom always sang "You Are My Sunshine" to me. I especially liked it when a "Mom, can you scratch my back?" moment was occurring. Oh man was she the greatest at that. She is one of my best friends. She always knows what I should do. I ask her for guidance all the time. I love her so so so much. And then there's my dad. We've never been really close, but we are so alike. It's hard to explain. I get my sarcastic sense of humor from him. He is the hardest worker I know of. And it's not always because he wants to be; He knows he should be that way. It was instilled in him by his parents, by his generation. I strive to be that way. I may not always like what I am doing, but I know I must. And I definitely learned that from him. I love both my parents. Oh yeah, and I thank them both for allowing me to watch and listen to things that were way above my head at a young age, because now I appreciate old movies and music a lot more than most people my age. "Love ya, love ya, camera loves ya."
ReplyDeleteI sure do appreciate my parents a lot more now that I am out of their house. Sounds awful, but it is true. Although I was a stupid teenager (isn't everyone?) and I thought all of their rules were stupid, I realize (after the fact) that they meant them to keep me safe--because they love me. My parents have always been very affectionate and supportive (cautious sometimes, but always supportive). Last night, we had some bad storms in Arkansas (10 tornadoes touched down--but not near me). My mom texted me just to make sure we were alright and to say she loves us. That meant a lot! My mommy still loves me! And I miss her....and I miss my dad, too. I have always been closer to my dad than to my mom because we are so much alike. Our personalities are the same: I can understand what he is feeling if he reacts to a situation a certain way--because I would react the same way. But my fondest memories with my dad are afternoon naps (from age 2-20), hunting (although I could never sit still), our daddy-daughter dates (I miss those...) and just chilling on the couch with the TV. I miss my parents...and I appreciate them now more than I ever have (better late than never, right...?)
ReplyDelete--Rebekah Mays
"What I Love About My Parents" Top Ten:
ReplyDelete1. Happy hearts – laughter and fun together are priorities
2. Sharing Jesus with me beginning when I was just a baby
3. Setting boundaries for me as a young adult
4. Encouraging me to do my best in all of my work
5. As a child, they ALWAYS opened our home to my friends
6. They were patient and kind even when I wasn’t
7. They continue to pursue a relationship with me (and my family)
8. Generosity – even now, they will bless us with generous gifts
9. Providing a constant and loving home –I always knew I was loved and wanted
10. They LOVE and ENJOY each other STILL
My Dad comes home next tuesday.
ReplyDeleteThe past is the past, we can and will make new memories.
This is probably the hardest challenge i have had to date. I struggle with seeing them as my parents many days. For those of you who know my story and my parents, you know they are not the same people I grew up with. whether it was me being a kid and seeing no fault in my parents (yes until i was 18 i thought they rocked!) or it was because they hid some of their true nature from me, i dont think i will ever have that answered fully. so all of my great memories come from my childhood.
ReplyDeleteMy dad... oh how i love my dad! I was the ultimate daddy's girl. I was the son he didnt have. I was (am) a tomboy. So my best memories with him were on the softball field. He never missed a game! He was the hardest worker i knew, working 60 or 70 hour work weeks (and what i know about that now is that it was so we could live the live style we had grown into but so didnt need). But when it came the weekend, he was mine. he was there for me, pushing me to do my best and catching me when i felt i fell short of what i was capable of on the field. If i needed to try something one more time he was there. I have a specific momory with him that will forever feel like it happened yesterday. One was when i was 12 or so, we were playing in a tournament and the games went really late on saturday night... and by late i mean we started our championship game at 2 am on sunday morning. we won... it was father's day. my dad said it was the best one he ever had. and now more than ever i believe that, since the following 12 years i spent father's day at Impact.
my mom... this is the harder of the two. she was the person i wanted when i was sick or just felt crappy or when i broke my leg or got my wisdom teeth out. but we never had that close relationship that i see with other girls who have their mom as their best friend. we never had that. But i always knew she was there. We never had any of the big mother daughter moments or talks so this is why seeing her as a hero is so hard for me. that and how horrible our relationship is today. but the one moment that i have had every year (this past christmas not included) with my mom is making sugar cookies for santa. as a kid, i got to cut out the cookies and then put the sprinkles on and over the years it has progressed to me measuring and mixing and rolling and cutting and transferring and baking and putting the sprinkles on. there is no greater moment for us than smelling those warm sugar cookies fill the air with Christmas music playing. The first year i had to do everything alone and she just watched me, i was pretty pissed. I couldnt understand why she didnt want to "make" them with me anymore. She just dimply said "i enjoy watching you do them." Some days i think it is because she is preparing me for that moment that i get to make my first batch with my kids.
it seems i had more to say than i thought. maybe a rambled some, because my childhood is my happy moments. It wasnt normal by any means. i had it easy with my parents. no bed time, no curfew (until i forgot to call that one time...oops), really no rules but get good grades and be happy. i love my parents... they gave me life... but they are so hard to like sometimes when they are not the people i grew up with anymore...
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ReplyDeleteMy parents taught me how to love other people. From them I learned to treat money as nothing more than a tool to express your love as well as one of the best ways to spend your time is letting others know how much they matter to you.
ReplyDeleteI've been ridiculously blessed with two parents that completely act with servent hearts and I'm eternally greatful for the examples they have set.
Dylon
ReplyDeleteMy favorite memories always seem to come back as going to my sisters soccer practices and walking around the field talking about and sharing our ideas about our thoughts on god, the bible, and life. We'd ask eachother questios and share our thoughts and answers about them.
Then I'd love playing golf or playing catch on Saturdays and Sundays getting to catch up with eachother and answering questions about life because we don't get to see eachother that often.My dad is a great person ang does the best everyday to the farthest extent of his abilities to please everyone. He also does the best with the life God has given him in this life.
I grew up with a brother 8 yrs older and a sister 10 yrs older than me, yes I'm the baby. Because of this age difference, I spent a lot of time with my parents. I can't say enough about them. I was a daddy's girl, we fished together every weekend for years. I loved fishing with my daddy. He is the best fisherman I've ever heard of even. He can catch fish when no one else on the lake can. He calls them, yes, calls them. It's... well...amazing. My favorite memories though come from just riding in the truck with him, talking to him, and listening to him. He always had a story, a song, a joke, or something. Man...do I miss those times. My mother..she is the most God-loving, God-fearing, Godly woman I know. If you are ever looking for a prayer warrior, she's it. I think she has a direct line to God. I get my love for singing from my mother, she has an amazing voice. My favorite memories of my mother come from seeing the joy she has when she is preparing for family events, especially Christmas. She is the original "Christmas Nazi". I love her and my daddy more than words can even express. I am so thankful for the way they taught us to love each other and to love God. They have unconditional love for others and such servant hearts...I've always said they would give you the shirt off their back or the hearts from their chest...and they would.
ReplyDeleteI am so very thankful for the heritage of faith that my parents have blessed me with... passed on to them from the faith their parents had...
ReplyDeleteWe had a very good home and lots of fun family memories. I always liked my parents (even when I "came of age" and couldn't stand to live with them anymore. lol) But I must say that they have totally kicked up the hero status with their grandparent identities!!!
I just LOVE YOU more and more and more...
I am blessed that my parents provided a grounding in the faith that helped when times were tough, and I am grateful that they sacrificed to provide for me. My dad taught me to love God's creation - camping, fishing, hunting, and generally just being a tomboy. My mom taught me to love singing, to value family, and to love God. They weren't perfect, but they tried hard. Daddy's gone now, and Mom's Alzheimer's has taken a lot of what made her special away from us. I love and miss them both enormously.
ReplyDeleteMy parents do so much for me, and i love that. I know they care because they let me know. Some kids tell their parents they love them like once a week. Maybe. But i am the one who always tells my parents thankyou and telling them i love them when they look like they need it or just to let them know. They are always there and that's why i love them so much.
ReplyDelete-hannah martin
Growing up in a dysfunctional home was sometimes very difficult. After my dad left, I saw my mom struggle many times. However, as time went by, I grew older and God helped me have more understanding, I saw my parents with God's eyes and understood the mental illness that my Dad had.
ReplyDeleteAs I was growing up, my Dad was always fun and had a hearty laugh. He had a lot of musical ability (it passed on down through the generations). He was an excellent mechanic and friends would always come to him for help. When he died in 2001, I had completely forgiven him for all of the heartache from childhood. He was just a little boy needing love.
My mother has always been a rock! She always kept her faith in God strong. After her retirement, she had more time so she became very active in the church and helping others. She loves making cross-stitch for people and has made countless pieces! Recently she had to move to a retirement community and she's still making cross-stitch for others! She doesn't know a stranger and has made friends easily. She has always been there for her family. Her love runs deep. Through all of the difficulties that she had for a long time, God has blessed her immensely. I can always count on my Mom and thank God she's my mother!! I love you, Mom!
P.S. Thank you, Lana, for the wonderful words too! I'm so proud of you and JonDavid! And, of course, I think my grandkids are super!
I was raised in the most loving home imaginable, and didn't know it until I was several years past living there. Even though now I adore the parents I grew up with, but then I couldn't wait to "escape" from where I was as a teen. I longed for a place to live where I wouldn't be under their thumb!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad God found a way to expose to me the best parents anyone could possibly have. I could tell lots of stories. Can't go there just yet. You see, I lost my daddy on July 5 of last year... In his almost 91 years, he lived his "last month" his entire life. He lived life as though he wasn't gonna be here much longer. But he was willing to share his life with me, even when I didn't care to share mine with him.
He's still as big as life to me today as he ever was. My mom is still the epitome of the perfect wife, homemaker, nurse, chef, seamstress, homemaker, chauffeur, and most of all, mother. She still loves my daddy and he loved her to the very end. Both with the determination that NOTHING could come between them. The ways my parents helped me become the husband I am today is tough to put into words. My daddy showed me how to love my wife, and my mother showed me by example the type of woman God wanted me to marry. That's the best way I know to describe the Superheroes who were there to shape me whether I needed a gentle hand or a firm one. God blessed me with the perfect parents for me. They also guided me to an amazing soul-mate for life, Tracie. Thank you God for how You have blessed me with my wondrously great "Superhero" parents and also my "Superwoman" wife. I am in awe of You!!!
i love my parents. my mom is a rock. it took me a long time to realize that. i just thought she was normal- great- but normal. she is a rock. she is so strong. she is just busting with grace and love. everytime i have messed up she is over it almost immediately. and i have watched her grace with other people for much worse things than anything i did. she doesn't worry much. she is pretty mellow and i think that is where i learned it (although she is less mellow and worries more than i do...i don't know how i managed the status of mellow that i have). like karen i rememeber many "will you scratch my back" moments. and most people don't know that she is funny. secretly she is pretty funny. she loves everyone, but there is a special place in her heart for babies. she has taught me SO SO much. my mom is tiny and great. i miss her.
ReplyDeletei love my dad too. although our relationship is very different. we don't talk a whole lot. but he calls me a few times a week. any time that we talk on the phone- whether i call him or he calls me- the first thing he says is: :"hello beautiful blonde headed daughter" i've never doubted his love for me. he tells my sister and me stories about when "he was a little girl" and when we were little girls he sang to us before bed...usually about the lady that ate the fly...perhaps she'll die. he is very interested in my life. he asks questions all the time. he just wants to talk. no matter what happens i know he loves me. and i will always love him- even when he makes it hard.
~Leslie
So my parents are probably the most amazing people that i have ever met. I love being around them and they always have a way of making me feel better. I'm so thankful for how great my family is and how strong my parents have been throughout my entire life. My parents are great, and they are always willing to do anything for anyone. I love how they have always tought me that I need to be willing to do anything for anyone and always put others above myself.
ReplyDeleteanyways, i love my parents so much and I usually still think that they are as wonderful as they used to be when I was little.
So, how do I even begin this...? My parents are amazing. My mom is so loving. And everyone loves her. She has the most beautiful voice in the world to me. Sometimes when people tell me I sound like her, it makes me do a little dance inside. Similar to how I react when people tell me I look like her, she is obviously rediculously beautiful. When I was about five years old I had this moment where I was all about establishing my own identity. Someone told me I looked like my mom one day and I started crying, telling my mom that for once I just wanted to look like myself. lol! How crazy was I?! My mom and I share a ton of memories in cheerleading. She coached me to I believe three championships! And then we coached other girls to close to ten championships together. I also love the memories of going with her to practices and performances of Youthful Persuasion! (Previously known as the Gospel Bomb!!! lol!)She always supported me in anything I wanted to do. She is one of the strongest, most Godly women I know. And her patience is incredible. Oh my dad... some people don't know this, but my dad and I are soooo much alike. Yes I look like my mom and have her bubbly loudness, but my reactions to situations are totally Kenneth! Sometimes when I call and tell him a story he just cracks up laughing because my reaction was straight from him. My biggest memories with my dad are him teaching me how to crank homeruns and catch fly balls (he played softball when I was young and gave it up so I could start). Sanding and painting cars and motorcycles. My mom has pictures of me working in the garage with daddy when I was two! I loved the times when he would teach me how to do something instead of just doing it himself. The first car I ever painted belonged to the DOT. I thought that was hilarious. I also love the long car rides with my dad. He sings with me and drums on the steering wheel. He and my mom always taught me what to look for in a husband and what to expect out of a relationship. My dad always said he felt bad for the guy who had to live up to what they had taught me. I know I have rambled a lot, but I don't know anyone who is more proud of who their parents are. I know that people sometimes wish I would shut up and quit telling stories about them, but they just freely flow out of my love and adoration for them. I am the little girl on the playground who is always saying how her dad can beat up your dad! Oh and my mom can outsing yours too!!! lol! I love you guys so much! Thank you for everything you have done and I hope that I can be at least a fraction of that to my own children!
ReplyDeleteMy parents are very interesting. My mom is absolutely a servant. Too often, I think she sees the world through "should be" lenses rather than "is" lenses. But she loves deeply. My dad is one of the brightest people I know. He is also quite humble. He seeks to serve in quiet ways.
ReplyDeleteI love my parents and appreciate that they took me to church and I am blessed to have grown up in a Christian home. My father was a hard worker and sometimes worked 2 or 3 jobs so my mother could stay home and raise 6 children. My mother stands by my father at all times. She is a beautiful women. She’s always kept the house immaculate. I learned many good things from them. I remember as a child going with them to visit the aged or sick. We were the first ones to church and the last to leave, being there every time the doors were open.
ReplyDeleteI also want to mention by in-laws. I have the best mother and father in-law. They are the most giving people I know. When they were younger and healthier they would make meals for the “Fresh Start” men who were trying to get back on their feet, or the women’s children’s shelter. As a family we went to the shelters and feed hundreds of homeless people. My father-in-law had been a cook in the Army and he insisted that we didn’t just put the food on their plates. He wanted it to look good and appetizing, even putting garnish or serving a special dessert of ice cream, which they hardly ever got. He would drive to the corner and pick up someone that was looking for work and hire them for the day, even though he knew that he would probably not get a lot of work out of them. He always paid them well. My in-laws were the hands and feet of Jesus. Now my father-in-law is fighting Alzheimer’s. Even though he is not always thinking right, he still is so giving and asking if there is anything he can do for us. I want to be like them because they do reflect Jesus.
i heart my parents a ton. i really do. sometimes (and by that i mean a lot of the time) i have trouble showing it... often due to selfish reasons. or just pure tiredness. i really do love them.
ReplyDeletemy mom is a complete servant. i don't know how she does it. she is so patient with me and with rachel, and is almost always laughing. i'm not sure how. she's beautiful and a strong christian and a great leader and i love her.
and my dad is just as amazing. he is an active part of my life and rachel's. he is strong. he is kind. he is hilarious. and i love him too a lot.
I will try my best to not be a biased adolescent...
ReplyDeleteOkay. I'll start with my mom. First of all, I know that she was usually the one to put up with the famous Darby Tantrums of '00, '01, '02, and so forth. I was possibly the worst tantrum-er of the early 2000's. So since Dad was always off working, Mom was the one who had to calm me down. If you ask either of my parents, they will say I was really bad about throwing fits. I would bo totally ballistic. So I thank them both for not giving in and disowning me, which was probably the easiest option. Dad says I grew up nicely, though.
Now for Dad-thank you for being tough with me. I always am a little shaken up when I do those things, and NEVER want to hear any advice. You give it to me anyway. If you weren't, I would probably be in a padded room somewhere having convulsions.
Both of you-thank you for accepting my weirdness. For giving me that book on the 9 planets with B&W pictures at 6 months. For allowing me to play on the computer at 2 years old at 4:00 in the morning. Thank you.
i'm amazingly thankful for my parents and i love them so much. being 16 it's weird understanding and being thankful for all the rules and curfews they set for me because i see my friends at school and the screwed up lives they are living currently and i thank God for my parents and for them giving me the rules that they did and raising me the way they did.
ReplyDeletei have so many memories with my mom, but the only one i can recall right now is one talk we had during my middle school years. probably once a month we drive up to north georgia to this house we have in clayton county. it's about a two hour drive and usually i spend the two hours sleeping or plugged into my ipod. but this time i talked to my mom the whole time. about growing up, our family, her side of the family, love and religion. i soon relized that she wasn't just my mom anymore but my friend and i'm not sure what i'd do without her.
i love my dad. he has more energy then anyone i know. he's always working on a new project and building something or just walking around the woods. we've never really had a specific moment where we bonded. we've grown apart over the years, but he still tries to protect me from boys and always brings me a blanket when i'm napping on the couch and cooks me breakfast in the barn certian mornings. I’ll aways disagree with my father on many topics but I will also always love him.
My parents are amazing.
ReplyDeleteMy mother is just incredible. Do we get along? no, not always. But that doesn't matter to me. She is the most important person in my life. I know I can go to her about anything and she will give me the advice I need. Watching her strive to be a better person makes me want to do the same. She has so many different struggles and hurts yet she's still always faithful to God and always tries to do what He wants from her and she's tried to raise me and my sisters to do the same thing. I think my favorite memory with her happened recently. We were on our way home from one of the many dance auditions we've been to this year (this one just happened to be in Mississippi..) but just the car ride home was phenomenal. Getting to spend quality time with my mommy is something that never really happens anymore since we have such opposite schedules. But I'll never forget that.
My dad.. He's just the sweetest man in the whole world. I know he would do absolutely anything for me. I don't get to spend as much time as I'd like with him and that makes me so sad. Not getting to see him everyday. That's something I want to figure out. I need my daddy in my life. But he's always tried to be the best dad that he possibly can and I'm so thankful for that. I think my favorite memory with my dad was when I was like 8 or 9, we went camping at red top (we used to do that all the time) but this particular time it was just Me, My dad, And Kendra. I don't even really know why just the three of us went but I loved that trip. He let us pick out all of the food we wanted to eat and he took us fishing and lets us do all kinds of fun stuff. It was one of the best weeks of my life.
I wouldn't trade my parents for the world. Even though they're a little crazy, I love them more than anything.
So, on the day of this challenge, I did the challenge, and I also THOUGHT I posted what I had written, which was REALLY REALLY REALLY long, but I was looking back at all of the challenges today, and I noticed that mine wasn't on the blog; at least I didn't see it, but I did do it.
ReplyDeleteI guess I can say i appreciate all the things my mother,grandmother,and uncle have done for me in life, without going into great detail these are the people in my life who had been there for me in my life so far. I love them with all my heart, forevermore.
ReplyDeleteI would not be where I am today without my parents. We go camping together and have fun riding on the boat. We have fun and they help me through all of my problems.
ReplyDelete