A Great Start..

Well, I had a wonderful day to start the new year yesterday. R.B. Mays came to speak our church and both of the sermons...wow. It was great and I felt a jolt that I haven't felt in awhile. I really needed that. But I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going to make any new year's resolutions this year. Every year I try and usually fail. So no more false committments. It's also a depressing way to start off the year...who wants to make a promise to themselves just to realize that the goal is unattainable...or maybe we just don't have the will to do it. So I'm not going to set myself up for disappointment. If I need to make a resolution then that means something isn't going right and for me, I'm sure it's been an ongoing process. Why decide to do something at the beginning of the year? Okay, rambling, I know.

Just thought I'd share this with you all too. I ran across this picture and it got me thinking... Yes, there once was a day when I was young, nicely tanned, blonde headed and blue eyed...and that day passed long, long ago. But sometimes I wish I could go back there. Barbie dolls and grass stains were much more fun than laundry and taxes. In all honesty, the things that I've realized lately have been tough issues to face, but I'm glad I'm doing it now rather than later...

One big thing that has occurred to me is how much a person's childhood resonates in their adult life. I guess I never fully understood that until I had to really dig down and deal with things that have bothered me for so long. I've seen this in so many people, not just myself. What happens in a person's youth can greatly determine their demeanor and how well they function in society. Seeing this first hand and coming to a much clearer understanding of how true this is, it actually seems pretty scary. I think I realize even more now the huge responsibility that parents take on. I mean, I never thought parenting was a light task, but lately I've been realizing that it is one of the most important factors in determining how a person will function in their adult life. There are so many details and examples of this and I could talk for hours about it, but just think about things that have happened in your life, how you were raised. And look at how that has molded you or shaped you into who you are now.

And the really frightening part of all this is that I see the slip happening. I know there are still great parents in the world that love their children and do everything in their power to promote their well-being. But there are many parents today that don't.

So as Adam and I look toward the future and think about child rearing, I feel better and worse at the same time thinking about this information. It's good to realize the weight on a parent's shoulders, but at the same time the fear of falling short is always there. I really admire and appreciate those who truly reach out to foster children. Not only have they provided a safe haven for those children, but they've also given them a chance at a better adult life.

That was my rambling for the day. No resolutions and be good parents. But really, the latter of those two subjects has really been on my mind a lot lately. Ha. I guess that John Mayer knew what he was talking about in his song "Daughters." True stuff in there, if you get a chance to really listen to what he says. Well, that's enough. Bumblebeetuna.