“But have
nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand,
discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only
of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds
promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (I Tim. 4:7-8).
Hey Gang, Wow! I have
watched this lad for the past sixteen years and he has continually popped the
buttons from my shirt with pride.
Qualifying to participate in the State Cross Country finals is indeed a
goal to work for, if you are a runner. He
ran the race of his life yesterday when he competed in the State Finals for High
School Cross Country (Lower Peninsula). He finished 40th in his
Division of 250 runners! Now, what that
means is he is he has worked very, very hard!
That also means is he is a disciplined runner who placed the
goal of reaching the State level by diligently running daily, no matter what
the weather. (And, as he ran his miles
each day, he had a companion, his daddy, on a bicycle or car depending on
weather) who rode shot gun for him every single day).
Now, I want to tell you a little about the ‘price of success’
for this family. We learned early that
he was on the Autism spectrum, Aspergers, which can be an all-consuming
malady. But, he was blessed to be born
into a home with two parents who made a vow that autism would not control and destroy
his life.
As he ran this race of his young life, there were really
three people running in his shoes, a Momma and Daddy who have been models of
sacrifice, since he arrived on this earth.
His mother is a self-studied authority on this malady, not the medical
part, although she has spent countless hours in research of how to beat this
dreaded malady, but the part that requires the total giving of the heart to
assure that no matter what the price, she will continue to give. There have been no races, no baseball games,
no basketball games, no soccer games when his mom and dad where not there.
Yes, I am proud not only for his success in the physical
areas but equally proud of him in the academic areas – today inducted into the
National Honor Society - social areas and most of all - that he loves the Lord
and has committed his life to following Jesus where ever He leads him.
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses gave us a model of how to
raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. He wrote: “These words which I am commanding you this day shall be in your
heart. You shall teach them diligently
to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you
walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and
they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gate”
(Deut. 6:6-9).
Notice the prerequisite that makes this code of how to raise
your children effective: “You shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
might” (vs. 5).
The race yesterday was the culmination of sixteen years of
sacrifice, tremendously hard work, successes and failures all wrapped up in a
huge ball with a ribbon around them called sacrificial love. If every child in America had the same
sacrificial giving parents, we could turn the Eagle Villages into ski lodges. Why am I so proud, because this young lad is my
grandson, Brandon, who has been covered with that sacrificial love.
Well done Marjorie and Jim!
Blessing,
Gramps
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