***Kleenex alert. You’ve been warned. I can’t be responsible for anything past this point.
I struggled this week with the decision of whom to write about. The people I want to write about – the people whom I feel best fit the theme of “king”- are living ancestors and ones who like their privacy. Normally, I would respect that but this week I’m not going to. You see, in 2011 and 2012 my son and I had a series of conversations in which he told me how much his father and I meant to him. He told my husband and I specific things he felt we had done right and he told us several times how much he appreciated and loved us. I had no idea that God himself orchestrated those conversations. In August of 2012 my son passed away. I treasure each of those conversations I had with him and it has been no end of comfort to me to know how he felt about us.
So let me say- sorry Dad and Mom! I decided to write about you!
I love learning what names mean. My dad’s name is Roy and my mom’s name is Sharon. In French, Roy means ‘king’ or ‘regal’. The name Sharon comes from the Bible and means ‘His song’ (as in God’s- the King of Kings’). So I’m taking that and running with it this week!
I thank God often for my parents.
* I’m grateful they were tough on me because I was a rebellious, hateful brat when I was a teenager. Stubborn, bullheaded…the list goes on.
* I’m grateful that I don’t remember the first time I went to church. I don’t remember it because I always went to church- from the time I was born. I’ve desperately needed that lifetime of faith on many occasions throughout my life. And I wonder, would I have been an example of faith to my children had I not been exposed to it my whole life? I shudder to think what might have been. Statistics say the older you are, the less likely you are to give your life to Christ. Grateful doesn’t begin to cover how I feel about this particular point.
* I’m grateful they had high expectations for me because I was lazy and wouldn’t have had them for myself when I was a child.
* I’m grateful for every sacrifice they made so that I could have something. Parents sacrifice food, “me” time, money, anything that costs money, and just about anything else for themselves in order for their children to have what they need and I know that mine sacrificed all of this for me- even when I didn’t show any gratitude at the time.
* I’m thankful that my parents made a good name for themselves. I didn’t have any stigma or “skeletons” to overcome due to their behavior or their life choices.
* I’m grateful they taught me manners and appropriate public behavior (even when I choose not to use it).
I could go on and on. I have so much to be thankful for when it comes to my parents. Every parent has moments when they think they did a horrible job parenting and they wonder why God ever allowed them to raise children. Moments when they think they didn’t do a single thing right and every decision they made was wrong. I want my parents to know- you did a great job. I hope I was as good of a parent as each of you were. I love you. I thank God for you. I’m blessed because of you. I’m so proud of you both!
Love, Lisa
(Days of Our Lives blog)
(To each of my readers: say I love you often to those you love- you never know when it will be the last time. Live your life so as to have as few regrets as possible.)
P.S.- please click on through to visit two other awesome genealogy blogs. Down in the Root Cellar and Theology for Mom.