Can you guess who they are?
My new bosses are... my future daughters-in-law. Wow, that sounds weird to say. Really weird, and somewhat alarming. In other words, some day I will be a mother-in-law. Boy, that is intimidating.
But more importantly than that scary snippet is the fact that at some point, my husband and I will be called to account for how we parent our sons.
Why?
Because for every parental failing that we let go uncorrected... for every pattern of sin that we let flourish unchecked in our boys... for every untaught skill that we leave unremedied - our daughters-in-law will pay. They will pay in emotional turmoil, in tears, in family strife, in having to live with the faults that we didn't deal with in our parenting journey.
We have eighteen years with each boy. With our eldest (age six), one third of that time is over. One third of the job we have to do is done, however well or however badly we have done it. But regardless of the quality of our work, time continues on - and whenever each of our boys takes a bride, the truth of our work will out - and the test will come as to how good of a citizen, husband, and father our boys will make.
God, this is one job that I don't want to mess up.
I want our boys to be excellent citizens who make a difference, and to be godly husbands and fathers who lead and direct their families biblically and with excellence.
Yet I feel so completely and totally inadequate. If I started listing my parenting failings, we'd be here all night. Though I have put blood, sweat, and tears into this parenting gig (massive amounts of all of the above, as a matter of fact), the job that I've done so far feels like... well, like I have so very far to go. And like I have done so poorly, despite my efforts and my prayers.
If we get to the end of the parenting journey and produce adult sons anything like what we want, it will be by the grace of God alone.
But I will keep trying. I will keep praying and begging God for guidance and strength. I will fight the good fight. Because it's worth it. It's one fight in life which is truly worth it. After all, it's our God-given job!
And furthermore, my bosses will have something to say (in another twenty years or so) if I blow it!
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| Can you believe that some day these babies will be HUSBANDS? |
Just clicked the next blog button and landed here. I had to pause because it had never occurred to me to want a home birth until about a month ago. I am not even pregnant but do plan to have another some day, and recently the idea of home birth has sounded so appealing. Anyway, had fun glancing through your posts and seeing some of your links about it!
ReplyDeleteNancy, thanks for dropping by! I'm so glad you enjoyed the blog! I hope that if you are indeed blessed with a baby, that you have a wonderful and empowering birth, however you choose to plan it! We've had great experiences with all of our midwives (and doulas), and I wish the same for you. Good luck!!
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