The Greatest Thing I’ve Ever Done

I know all Mom’s and Dads for the most part of proud of their children. I know most are biased and I admit I am too. I have also tried to be fair to my child and not just gush the great stuff but be honest and help her understand that the successes are as important as the failures. Winning and loosing are both of value to our character formation. Those who love you help form you as a person as much as those who dislike you.

I wanted her to be the best version of herself she can. I encouraged her and I also put on her high expectations. I guarantee I made mistakes in my parenting, I also had some overwhelming successes. I remember many a night laying awake wondering if I was going to mess her up and destroy her life. I had so many insecurities as a parent. Nobody gave me that Mommy Manual!! I’m still looking for my copy.

My daughter works for a company that was started in 1936, a family owned company. It has lots of employees, many of whom are “good ole boys” now I don’t want to seem or be judgmental about good ole boys. I am simply saying they have “old school” ideals and they are pretty staunch when it comes to “fresh and new ideas”. A recent college graduate coming in and running the marketing department. She got plenty of push back. What they did not expect was someone who had and still has a very strong work ethic. I did not raise an entitled punk. The first job interview she had I drove her to (she did not have her license yet) we stopped outside the establishment and I gave her one if the best speeches of my life. I said, Nobody OWES you anything, not a paycheck or anything. If you want to earn that paycheck then get in there and do your job, if they ask you to clean the restroom, then clean it. If they need you to stock the widgets then stock them. Whatever it takes, you go in there and work like you are proud to have the job and you appreciate the paycheck. Be someone they depend on. Have pride in your work. This stuck with her, and is still with her all these years later.

Today is close to five years she’s working for the Good Ole Boy company, she’s having a conversation with one of the big bosses and he is asking about her personal work ethic. She tells him about our conversation that day of her first job interview and she tells him that she believes in it and that being raised this way and by a single Mom instilled in her the value of a job and how to do the job. He commented on how much respect he has for her because of this. There just are not words to describe how proud this makes me of her when she told me about her conversation. She could have turned her back on work ethic, she could have taken the – entitled – easy path once she saw it being done by her friend that also worked there and WAS entitled but she didn’t, she forged her path, stayed the course and earned the respect of a big majority of those men she works with. Including the owner, who told her today – “I don’t question your integrity.” What a complement! I tell you, she is the best thing I’ve ever done. She is every good and decent part of myself and her Dad, of our respective families.

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it” (English Standard Version)

Psalm 127:3-5: "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth.

Isaiah 44:3, “I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing shall be on your offspring

I could try to take responsibility for how she turned out but I am only a temporary guide, once she is grown she has to take what she learned and either walk it out, follow the path or turn and walk a different way. That she chooses to be a hard worker, to care about doing things the right way, to do her very best for the company, keeping its best interest in mind always tells me she picked the correct path.

Many times over the years I was raising her I figuratively held my breath, hoping and praying I was doing the right things, I got us in church and put her in front of as many good Godly examples as I could find. Including Single Parent Men who were raising children themselves and living a Christ centered life. This was important to me because I wanted her to see a good Godly example of a man or men. Then when it was time to pick one for her husband she would know what she needed and want that for herself. I’ll stop her just to say a quick – she did good there. Oh I could go on and on about him. He is extra special as well. Her “picker” was not broken at all. Now as she is an adult, a married woman with children of her own I can stop holding my breath. She is putting feet to her faith, she is walking out the best path possible for herself and her family. She is also raising children who are totally spoiled – um not sorry and I help. Grin but they are also steeped in faith. They pray before meals they attend church. They know about Jesus. What a legacy.

Prayer

Jesus, oh precious Jesus, I thank You for walking with her in the growing years, for staying with her in her adult years, in her business life, in her married life and in her home life. I thank You for loving her and putting her on the right path. I give You the glory for the amazing person she is. I thank You with all I am for allowing me to be her Mom, for letting me see the fruits. Hold her close and keep her safe, joyful and strong. I ask this in Your name – AMEN.