Supportive. My mom was always supportive. My parents were very active in our lives. WE did many things together, even if it was just watching tv together in the evening. Even if it was as a teenager helping make gingerbread cookies and watching in horror as my mom giggled and tried to make some anatomically correct.
Mom was also firm in her faith, but she didn't force her faith on me. I appreciate that. She allowed me to make a choice on my own. This is how it happened.
I was involved in the flag and rifle corps of our high school band, as was my older sister. High school football games, as we all know, are on Friday nights. It's hard to keep the Sabbath holy, biblically, while you are totally involved in a football game and in another world as it were.
Mom was always helping with the fundraisers, getting our uniforms and parties and all that stuff, but she didn't come to the games. She never said we couldn't go. She was never angry and never said we were going to burn in hell for going to a high school football game on Friday night. She simply made a choice, and allowed my sister and I to make our own.
One day, I finally decided that I didn't want to give up being involved in activies and events, but I also didn't want to "trample on the Sabbath" anymore. I wanted to enjoy life and live it to the fullest! I wanted to honor God at the same time. Believe it or not, it is possible. God said He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.
Since that time, I've had a lot of experiences that most people won't get in an entire lifetime. How many people can say they've been to Hawaii? How many people have ridden in a Hot Air Balloon, and helped to chase them and pack them back up again? How many people have gotten to help arrange a private ride for their child in a 2 seater airplane and fly over your own house? How many people get free tickets to the Great Passion Play, the Harlem Globetrotters and the White Stallions of Lippizan? How many women get to have their firsborn in the car at 70 miles per hour and get to pull the baby out all by themselves?
I've never regretted my decision. I still live life to the fullest. I still make mistakes, but I still try to honor God for He has indeed given me an abundant life, as I have chosen to follow Him.
Reviving the Joy of the Advent. The all out wonderful joy of knowing that Jesus is coming again for all those who love Him. Regardless of race, gender, denomination or hair color - this blog is for all who enjoy knowing that Jesus is coming again and want to share that news with others.
Favorite Blessings
- Smiling
- Sharing Joy!
- Scented Candles
- Sabbath Surprises
- Ozark Waterfalls
- Music Music Music!
- Moments with Karl
5 comments:
I agree with your Mother's approach. It's important to let young people choose for themselves as much as possible. If we try to force them to be carbon copies of ourselves reflecting our interests our convictions and our passions, they will rebel. They must submit to us now, but as agents of free will it won't be long until they are faced with tough choices and temptations. How will they choose wisely if they've never been exposed to anything or given the chance to choose in the past? They must feel the weight of consequence a time or two, and know the relief of a clean conscience. No shaming, no guilt-trips or fear tactics. Love draws.
Freedom. Wow. You had a wonderful privilege in your mother. Not many people ever have that. My parents were like that, but not to that extent. But they did what they knew to do, and I learned from them. But, I've slowly learned from my own experience with a family that the giving up of control early on in a child's life, yet maintaining communication and acceptance is the right formula for developing minds. Some people have the hardest time giving up control without giving up the communication and acceptance at the same time.
God is our example in everything.
Freedom of choice is what He gave to us. Freedom to choose His love or reject it. That should be our model as well, as we raise our children and deal with friends and family. Forced religion never works.
Sharon, I was on the opposite end of how you lived your teen years. My SDA parents, as loving as they were, didn't give me that opportunity (to have a choice), and therefore, Friday nights, like many culturally raised SDA kids, became a physical and emotional prison that shaped a very narrow and guilt-ridden view of my Christianity. It wasn't until my divorce that I finally "got" what freedom under grace was like, and living life, like you, to its fullest. Congrats....and I've added you to my blog community. :)
No, forced anything never works. Yet the only other alternative, is to win and draw others to do what's right. I've been thinking about this lately, and I see that God, even though using some strong language, has never forced. The strong language came from strong love, infinitely strong love. The strongest force is love.
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