Preparing our children for this future

Posted on Friday, October 3, 2008 at 10:36

Today - our son turns twenty-two, (22), TWO DECADES AND TWO YEARS, older than when I HAD him....sorry, it echoes through my mind and heart just how fast our children have grown up. 

So today I will take out the little outfit we brought him home from the hospital, lay it on his bed and wait for him to come home from work and see it.  His sisters will decorate the cake I baked for him this morning (A Star Wars theme this year) and we will go out to his favorite restaurant tomorrow for a dinner.  That is how our home 'does' birthdays....low key.

He has his 'intended wife' chosen and is waiting for the right time to propose. We approve of her. He has our blessing - we don't have much else to give him but that.

But what have we given him thus far for his future?  Well, we are seeing the fruits of our years of training as he matures - yes there were times we wondered - but there they are: A good work ethic, a passion to do God's Will, a frugal mindset of a good steward and an unconditional love for all. Thank the Lord that our bumblings as parents have still produced an honorable man after God’s Own Heart.

But, did we know we were preparing him for THIS future? The one with the economy looking as it does?

Well, yes, we did.

God told my hubby (okay no audible voice or clouds, but deep DEEP within his heart) that our children would be launched out at a tumultuous time and to prepare them to be content and productive regardless of the circumstances.  The foundations of society are all shaking - but the foundation in our Savior is solid. That is the basis of how we have prepared them.  From there we built on growing food, storing for hard times, sharing what we have with others in need, productive time vs. entertainment and the outcome is now three adult children with tools to face an uncertain earthly future with a certain Peace.

Yesterday, as my big strapping son was talking with us in the kitchen while his baby sister fixed dinner (Thursday is her night), he shared with me the topic of the economy as viewed by his peers in a class at college.  He said it was mentioned that "those old people in their 50s (ok, even he laughed at that being old) will all be okay, because, well, they know how to work, they already have worked....we (college kids) don't know how to work yet. We're going to have to give up so much fun stuff because we just can't afford it"

Ouch.

Well, it's a truer statement than they realize - not that college makes you know how to work - but the generation our kids are in have lost the working mindset.  My son said he sat there and half laughed and half cried. Laughed because he doesn’t' feel that way and he was thankful that we raised him weird, and half cried because, he worries for his generation.

For his birthday - he bought me a dehydrator and his Daddy a soothing fountain for his office.  Our son said that he didn't do anything to get born, so we should get the gifts for his birth.  I'd say he's prepared.

Sorry. This got long!

Bless you for reading all the way through -

Best Blessings!

Donna

http://www.millersgrainhouse.com/store

Untitled Comment

Posted by gabbie427 on Friday, October 3, 2008 at 11:51 - Link

What a wonderful post dedicated to your son. I loved reading it and could definately feel the love for your son in this.

God's Blessings,
Amy Jo