Between the child and the Father

this has been one of my all time favorite parables.




A PARABLE

I took a little child’s hand in mine. He and I were to walk together for a while. I was to lead him to the Father. It was a task that overcame me, so awful was the responsibility. And so I talked to the child of the Father. I painted the sternness of His face, were the child to do something to displease Him. I spoke of the child’s goodness as something that would appease the Father’s wrath. He walked under the tall trees and I said that the Father had power to send them crashing to the ground struck by His thunderbolts. We walked in the sunshine; I told him of the greatness of the Father who made the burning blazing sun. And one twilight, we met the Father. The child hid behind me. He was afraid. He would not look up at the face so loving; he remembered my picture. He would not take the Father’s hand; I was between the child and the Father. I wondered, I had been so conscientious, so serious.

I took a little child’s hand in mine. I was to lead him to the Father. I felt burdened with the many things I had to teach him. We did not ramble; we hastened from one spot to another spot. We compared the leaves of the different trees. While the child was questioning me about it, I hurried him away to chase a butterfly. Did he chance to fall asleep, I awakened him; lest he should miss something I wanted him to see. I poured into his ears all the stories he ought to know, but we were interrupted often by the wind a blowing, of which we must study, by the gurgling brook which we must trace to its source. And then in the twilight, we met the Father. The child merely glanced at Him and then his gaze wandered in a dozen different directions. The Father stretched for His hand. The child was not interested enough to take it. Feverish spots burned his cheeks. He dropped exhausted to the ground and fell asleep. Again, I was between the child and the Father. I wondered. I had taught him so many things.

I took a little child’s hand in mine, to lead him to the Father. My heart was full of gratitude for the glad privilege. We walked slowly, I united my steps with the short steps of the child. We spoke of the things the child noticed. Sometimes we picked the Father’s bright flowers and stroked their soft petals and loved their bright colors. Sometimes it was one of the Father’s birds. We saw the eggs that were laid. We wondered, elated at the care it gave its young. Often we told stories of the Father. I told them to the child and the child told them to me again. We told them, the child and I over and over again. Sometimes we stopped to rest, leaning against one of the Father’s trees, and letting His cool air cool our brow, never speaking. And then in the twilight, we met the Father. This child’s eyes shone. He looked lovingly, trustingly, eagerly up into the Father’s face. He put his hand into the Father’s hand. I was for the moment forgotten. I was content.
Jean Betzner Especially for Mormons Vol. 1

Parenting

As I was reading the post of one of my grown children, I was thinking about parenting and the balancing involved.

The balancing in parenting can be hard and involves risks but also has some of the greatest joys ever.

Holding on too tight to me has more potential for harm than the gradual trusting and letting go of the reins.

Heavenly Father did not send us to earth to be over protected or have others make all of our decisions for us.(who's plan was that?) He loves and trusts us enough to let us experience trials and challenges that would strengthen and built in us the ability to succeed.

When we emulate His parenting, our children are more likely to grow strong and succeed.

Earthly parents are meant to be the temporary scaffolding.

Our children are meant to ultimately stand on their own.
They no longer need the parent/child relationship but the relationship of adult/adult or equals.

the permanent part is the foundation of Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

OK as my kids would say, step away from the pulpit. end of lecture 999.

cool quote

“service is the rent that I pay for the space that I occupy on earth.”

I came across this today and it just really jumped out at me and I wanted to pass it along.

in-laws

We have been so very blessed.
We started out with 8 offspring and they have multiplied and given us some wonderful additions to the family.
We have 5 of the sweetest and talented daughters-in-law that you could ask for. They take good care of their guys and keep them in line. They each have special talents that they willingly share with the family and are doing a great job of raising some amazingly smart and cute kids and sweet pets also.
There are 2 great sons-in-law. Both are so good to help out when ever called on. They are both quiet compared to the rowdy guys but hold their own and even get in a few licks(verbally, no physical abuse here) of their own when cornered. They are both wonderful men and take good care of our daughters and grandchildren.
When there are get togethers, it is always a blast to have so many different personalities and temperments in the same space.
As each new member has been added to the family, we have been blessed.
We are definitley thankful for special in-laws.
Thanks kids for making such good choices in spouces.

love/hate computers

Have you ever noticed that when they are working right, we love them and when they don't , it is a source of real frustration.?
I really love/hate computers. I love email, blogs and being able to look up things when I have a question or want to buy something ( I love me some amazon and ebay)
I get really mad when I have typed out a long reply to someone in an email or a post to a blog and have the darn thing wisk it off and lose the whole thing. Grrr.
Of course it has nothing to do with me messing up and hitting the wrong key at times. It always has to be the computer right?
But let the darn thing go down and what happens? Oh no, withdrawal!!!!!
then I feel bad for having bad feelings and talking ugly and just want it back. I might miss something really important.
Sigh, right now it is working, I am happy and feeling content for however long it lasts.
thanks for being there for me computer.

love my computer guys

I love my computer guys, especially when my computer goes on the blitz as it did recently.

The last time my computer died, my first born son came to my rescue making several long trips out to the boonies to get me back in action.

This time it was a sweet son-in-law. As I am sure you can guess, it is never a simple thing with my computer. He came out ready to face the unknown and left with the problem improved but not solved. Sigh, another day computerless.

Never fear, these guys are fearless in the face of a clueless operator who doesn't always know how she got in the mess she is in. then comes the much appeciated phone call that there may still be a way to salvage the poor thing.
Another trip to the boonies and much effort to revive the ailing machine.

Joy of Joy. We are back in action, wading through countless missed emails and checking out the missed blogs. I have my fix and am happy.

What can I say, I am spoiled. Thanks guys.
I love love love me some computer guys who put up with me and my 'puter.

What do you get?

What do you get when you have,
one husband,
one wife,
their 8 children,
the spouces of those children,
18 grandchildren,
one great granny,
one sister of wife,
one niece,
one great niece,
at least 3 dogs,

Add great food, cake and ice cream, lots of visiting, kids of all sizes running everywhere, feeding carrots to goats, and donkeys, trees being climbed, babies continuously being passed around, lots of joking and laughter, and in general,total chaos.

Have you guessed??? What else??

A Mayfield family get together!!!!!!

and the great granny, sister and nieces actually survived to live another day!!! We did give them prior warning of course. Not sure they would want to repeat the experience again anytime soon, but survival is the first step to recovery.

So the Mayfield family pulled it off one more time. thanks everyone (especially Dawn for hosting and providing the wonderful calzones) for helping to make it a great evening for the Great Granny, aunt and nieces.

Hopefully there will be pictures on the family blogs soon to prove said guest did in fact survive the experience.