Special Days

Wednesday April 18, 2007

Dear Ones,

It seems sometimes that the forces of evil are in control of this world but not so! God is still in control and still doing the things we expect of him, the greatest of these is His love of us. He shows us that through those he has put in our lives. It begins with moms and dads, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, etc. I used etc. because the more blessed we are, then God adds other words to son and daughters like grand and great. A little more than 29 years ago, I asked Ardyce to marry me and on April 18th 1978 at 8:00 p.m. in Spring, Texas Ardyce and I were married. That night I don't think we thought about what our lives would be like today or the significances they would have on you and your children. We tend to think our children know or should know what we know and have experienced what we have; but, that just isn't the way it is. It seems sad in a way that when I say, "Do not forget to mentor your children today," I have to include "Be a better mentor to your children than your mentor was to you." And, "Most of all, show more love and understanding than you were shown."

Remember, regardless of how literate you are, your children someday will or should be more literate than you; but, they will never have the benefit of your experiences until you lovingly share those experiences with them or they live through similar ones themselves. Everyday is an opportunity to see what new things your children have learned. I dare say each of you will experience something today that Ardyce and I experienced when you were their age with one big exception. New technology! Remember when we were your age there were no cell phones and no laptop computers. No Cd's, no Ipods, no email and no camera phones. Think about this...everything man will ever discover was created by God at the moment of creation...we just haven't discovered it yet. You and your children will discover these things which God put there for you to enjoy and to bring his creatures to a more civil society.

It is each of our responsibility to do our part in leading the next generation to greater knowledge, understanding and wisdom. We play a large part in their motivation to gather knowledge, less in their understanding and virtually nothing in their gaining wisdom. Understanding and wisdom come from the application and feedback of knowledge. Only when knowledge and disciplined experiences are converted to wisdom will you and your children enjoy a more civilized world!!!

Love you all,

Dad and Chuck