I've never done a guest post before, but I've read a lot of them. So here's my first and perhaps my last. Will originally created this as a status update on his
Facebook Page but I loved it so much I had to share it with you.
Yesterday
Elaine Clark and I spent some time helping our 8th grade daughter decide what classes she will take in High School! This is one of those days you think is so far away when you're buying diapers and car seats, only to turn around and find that the little girl whose crib you used to lay next to so you could hear the beautiful sound of her breathing as she slept is now taller than her mother and strong enough to lift her 220 lb daddy a foot off the ground. As we sat there strategizing about her high school classes, thinking ahead to college admissions and hopes and dreams, I couldn't help but appreciate how beautiful the moment was, and how beautiful the girl is. Yet there was also a tension in my bones, the subtle unease generated by the heart of a protective father who sees on the other side of this transitional benchmark the inevitable reality of the harsh toils and troubles of this world. This paradoxical experience, the mixture of joy and heartache had by every caring parent, awakens within us the reality that we live our lives for these moments when we can look back at what we've done, observe where we are now, and plan for what we're going to do next. The past teaches us nothing if not that we must plan for the future while adapting to the present. We must be adept at both the planning and the adapting. Fifteen years of working in a manufacturing environment and 13 years of being a father has provided me with a wealth of experience at this kind of thinking. So as we filled out the forms, talked about high school and planned for the future, I gave my little girl four pieces of advice: 1) Faith: You can't neglect your spiritual self without consequence in the physical, mental, and emotional. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. 2) Friendships: The kind of friends you choose is almost as important as the kind of friend you choose to be. Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Choose your friends wisely. The right people will respect you for doing the right things. 3) Work Ethic: Learn how to work hard, to persevere, to set goals and then achieve them resourcefully. Plan well, adapt brilliantly. 4) Choices: Think about consequences and rewards. Delayed gratification is the "secret" of most successful people. Never dig a hole with a tractor that must be refilled with a shovel. Never make permanent decisions in temporary circumstances.
So there you go...do what you will with this insight. Maybe his advice for our daughter is something you needed as well.
