My Chip off the Ole Block

[Benjamin]

My daughter, when she younger was always telling me she just didn’t feel like she’s suffered enough, that she has not had to go through the hardships that I had and she felt hardship would help her to be stronger. I’ve repeatedly told hold her that not having to suffer the things I had to was God’s blessing to me, how to raise my children to be better than me is what I’ve asked for and prayed about continually since she was 2 years old. But I’ve also told her don’t think you will not and have not suffered great persecution for your beliefs. Over the time she has learned through standing up for her values while in public school that it cost her a lot of rejection, hardship and sadness at times. Upon seeing her tears and concerns over the years I have reminded her of the following many times for encouragement:

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
(Mat 5:10-16)

Now a Junior in college at ASU she is quite the debater when it comes to standing up for her Christian values. She gets a lot of guidance from me but she is much better at expressing her thoughts being very advanced in English Composition, communication skills, being used to speaking in public from performing as a singer from a young age and growing up with a lot of guidance, love and education that I (high school drop-out, severe speech impediment until 11 then struggling after, no father around and out of house at 17) never had.

Anyway, I’ve got to chuckle and am so proud when I see her picking up on the things I teach her. In this case as per recent discussion from an overflow from what I have recently been debating on the BB about standing up for your values in the world. Here is what she posted on Face Book:

Originally from my Daughter:
Col 3:17 & 23 -- "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him... And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men..." No one does this perfectly, but to those who throw a fit about a Christ-loving person incorporating their values into all aspects of life (EVEN POLITICS), we are supposed to do this, and out of love! Someone who has truly died to themself and allowed Christ to be their Lord does not cram Him into one compartment of life, He IS our life! Good thing to remind yourself of every morning

Proud Dad’s Response:
Great message showing understanding and wisdom.

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
(Pro 23:23-25)

It's just absolutely amazing that this kid came out of me! :smilewinkgrin: God is Good! :love2:

 

[Arbo]

Train up a child...:thumbs:

 

[Tom Butler]

You are greatly blessed. And you have every reason to be well pleased with your beloved daughter.

 

[Iconoclast]

You are greatly blessed. And you have every reason to be well pleased with your beloved daughter.

:thumbs::thumbs::applause::applause:

 

[HeirofSalvation]

This made me smile...My daughters are all 4 and under...and I am still in the hoping and praying and training stage. We fear for them, truth be told, even though we shouldn't. This won't be an era which is particularly conducive to training up Godly children. But with God, all things are possible. :godisgood: You are truly blessed Ben! This is encouraging for me, after all....If Ben can do it... no doubt Hos can :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Benjamin]

Thanks guys.

This made me smile...My daughters are all 4 and under...and I am still in the hoping and praying and training stage. We fear for them, truth be told, even though we shouldn't. This won't be an era which is particularly conducive to training up Godly children. But with God, all things are possible. :godisgood: You are truly blessed Ben! This is encouraging for me, after all....If Ben can do it... no doubt Hos can :smilewinkgrin:

I worried so much that I had no clue how to be good father and how to keep my children safe from the types of influences they would be exposed to.

One of my kids favorite things growing up were bedtime stories. I would read a few passages at a time and explain them on their level, then relate it to a story either resembling what was going on in their life or imaginary events or putting them in the story and it would usually involve them and/or their “friends” (believing, “professed” unbelieving and deceived, and those that aren’t sure or don’t know and understand types of friends). Knowledge-understanding-wisdom, faith, doing the right thing, God’s promises, blessings and smiling at them, and having courage were popular subjects as well as the Devil and his tricks, his lying tongue and winking eye and love for evil things etc. and I must have come up with 100 stories from the first 5 chapters of Proverbs alone; of course Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and the 12 boys, especially Joseph and Benjamin, faithful David and/or Goliath, Ruth, Esther, Samson, Wise ole Solomon and that Peter always getting into trouble were all good subjects. I got pretty good at this, if i do say so myself. These types of stories proved to be very beneficial and kind of evolved into applying the wisdom and instructions from the Word toward everyday events right up to current times in their lives and they still have an interest in hearing and discussing the comparisons and thinking about what God is wisely teaching us in His "Instruction Book for Life"...