Last school year, my daughter and I had a routine in the morning. After we drop off her mom, we would take her to her daycare/preschool. When we'd get to the stop sign in front of her school, I'd say it's time for prayer. She would pray first and I would pray second. At first, I'd have to prompt her as to what to say. We would always end our prayers with...I love you Iesu, Amene. The other night I was putting her to bed and we did the same routine of her praying first and me second. After our prayers, she asked me, "daddy, why do you love Iesu so much?" I was not ready for that question. I quickly blurted out, "because mama and papa taught us to love Him." She looked at me and said, "well I will love him too then."
It was a very proud moment for me as a dad. She is beginning her journey with Jesus and I played a role in that. I know that her love for Him will only grow as she goes through life, but I think she's off to a good start. I've shared with y'all before about my anxiety, along with my wife, at being first time parents. One of the things that make us most anxious is our daughter's spiritual life. We are her first teachers about Jesus and we hope that we are setting good examples for her. I know we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God, and I pray that my daughter doesn't pick up my bad habits.
Can I share one more story about her with you? As parents, we are given these gifts from God to mold and shape and teach. It's an awesome responsibility sometimes. Anyways, she didn't get a chance to go to school this year as we'd planned. So we are homeschooling her. But we're looking for ways to get her to interact with other kids outside of our church community. Well, she's been bugging us about going to karate school. Last week we finally got around to registering her for one. On her first day, her mom said she quit. She was doing well until the instructor called on her. I guess she was frightened and went into her little shell. Her mother couldn't coax her out of it. But her mom was able to find her another one and we had her first lesson yesterday. This time we both went.
We were probably more excited than she was. More nervous also. It was a taekwondo class. All the kids in there were older than she was. The youngest was 8 years old. She was the only one who was there for the first day. By the way, she looked so cute in her little uniform. It took us a while to get her to go on the mat. They began with simple exercises and were warming up. The teacher called on different students and eventually called on 'Rise. Oh oh. She looked at us not knowing what to do. We tried to tell her, but she didn't understand. Everyone was looking at her and I guess she sensed all the eyes on her. She ran to her mom and was close to tears. She's very shy...until she gets to know you. Then you can't stop her from talking to you. LOL
Anyways, I thought here's a teachable moment. Her mom and I had a little pep talk with her. We told she can't quit. I said, in life you can't run away every time you're scared. I know, I know, perhaps a little too deep to be telling a four year old at a vulnerable time for her. But I believed that lesson. It was taught to me by my dad, and I wanted to pass it down to her. After a couple of deep breaths, she slowly made her way out there. I was filled with pride. But a couple of minutes later, she came running back.
We once again began to encourage her and told her to just go have fun. I said, 'Rise you don't have to be perfect, just go have fun. Her mom was also encouraging her, whispering in her ear. Whatever she said must have worked because she slowly made her way back to the mat. This time, she didn't come back off until the end of the lesson. When the teacher gave her a sticker at the end for being a trooper on her first day, the smile on her face was as wide as the ocean. But probably not as wide as the smiles on her parents' faces. Afterwards her first words to us were..."I didn't quit daddy." It was enough to bring me to tears. But I didn't want to cry in her karate school.
Children will rise and fall. They'll make us proud and also make us want to choke them sometimes. But through it all, we must continue to encourage them. I know there are many more joys, pain, triumph and disappointments that parenthood has in store for us. But I'm loving every moment of it. Everyday is like being in a laboratory discovering new joys, new laughs and new pain.
I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish my partner in parenting and life, Tile, a happy birthday. I would say she's 21 but then I might go to jail. LOL I love you sweetheart. Thanks for being the best wife, mother and friend a person could ever hope for. May the Lord bless you with many more birthdays so we can see our white belt progress through the colors.
It was a very proud moment for me as a dad. She is beginning her journey with Jesus and I played a role in that. I know that her love for Him will only grow as she goes through life, but I think she's off to a good start. I've shared with y'all before about my anxiety, along with my wife, at being first time parents. One of the things that make us most anxious is our daughter's spiritual life. We are her first teachers about Jesus and we hope that we are setting good examples for her. I know we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God, and I pray that my daughter doesn't pick up my bad habits.
Can I share one more story about her with you? As parents, we are given these gifts from God to mold and shape and teach. It's an awesome responsibility sometimes. Anyways, she didn't get a chance to go to school this year as we'd planned. So we are homeschooling her. But we're looking for ways to get her to interact with other kids outside of our church community. Well, she's been bugging us about going to karate school. Last week we finally got around to registering her for one. On her first day, her mom said she quit. She was doing well until the instructor called on her. I guess she was frightened and went into her little shell. Her mother couldn't coax her out of it. But her mom was able to find her another one and we had her first lesson yesterday. This time we both went.
We were probably more excited than she was. More nervous also. It was a taekwondo class. All the kids in there were older than she was. The youngest was 8 years old. She was the only one who was there for the first day. By the way, she looked so cute in her little uniform. It took us a while to get her to go on the mat. They began with simple exercises and were warming up. The teacher called on different students and eventually called on 'Rise. Oh oh. She looked at us not knowing what to do. We tried to tell her, but she didn't understand. Everyone was looking at her and I guess she sensed all the eyes on her. She ran to her mom and was close to tears. She's very shy...until she gets to know you. Then you can't stop her from talking to you. LOL
Anyways, I thought here's a teachable moment. Her mom and I had a little pep talk with her. We told she can't quit. I said, in life you can't run away every time you're scared. I know, I know, perhaps a little too deep to be telling a four year old at a vulnerable time for her. But I believed that lesson. It was taught to me by my dad, and I wanted to pass it down to her. After a couple of deep breaths, she slowly made her way out there. I was filled with pride. But a couple of minutes later, she came running back.
We once again began to encourage her and told her to just go have fun. I said, 'Rise you don't have to be perfect, just go have fun. Her mom was also encouraging her, whispering in her ear. Whatever she said must have worked because she slowly made her way back to the mat. This time, she didn't come back off until the end of the lesson. When the teacher gave her a sticker at the end for being a trooper on her first day, the smile on her face was as wide as the ocean. But probably not as wide as the smiles on her parents' faces. Afterwards her first words to us were..."I didn't quit daddy." It was enough to bring me to tears. But I didn't want to cry in her karate school.
Children will rise and fall. They'll make us proud and also make us want to choke them sometimes. But through it all, we must continue to encourage them. I know there are many more joys, pain, triumph and disappointments that parenthood has in store for us. But I'm loving every moment of it. Everyday is like being in a laboratory discovering new joys, new laughs and new pain.
I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish my partner in parenting and life, Tile, a happy birthday. I would say she's 21 but then I might go to jail. LOL I love you sweetheart. Thanks for being the best wife, mother and friend a person could ever hope for. May the Lord bless you with many more birthdays so we can see our white belt progress through the colors.
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