Saturday, April 30, 2011

Paralyzed by Fear and My Parenting Philosophy


"So believe me when I tell you I got a big scar. Man, God meant marriage to be for life. That's why you gotta keep your vows to Catherine. You gotta beg God to teach you to be a good husband. And don't just follow your heart, man; 'cause your heart can be deceived. But you gotta lead your heart."


The above quote is from one of my favorite movies. 2008's Fireproof by Sherwood films.  It is touching, full of wisdom, uplifting, and interesting in a way that the average person can relate to without the heart pounding action, or special effects.  A movie that makes you think about things that you most likely have to deal with in your life at some point.  Yes the acting is cheesy, and the not so subtle attempts at throwing in evangelism are laughable, but I digress.  If you took the above quote, and replaced it with parenting, parenthood, mothering... then you have my parenting philosophy, and unfortunately the way that I myself wasn't raised.

Yes a very cryptic post, but I don't feel ready to give a full account of my childhood, and the lessons on how I DON'T want to parent my children just yet.  I hope to someday, because like Michael from the movie, I have a big scar, that I feel I am becoming finally ready to deal with.  I just need to figure out how. For those lucky enough to have attached yourself to a certain parenting philosophy that is working for you, or had a positive example to be lead you by, I say good for you.  Myself, I am raising using a sort of opposite Golden Rule, "treat others the opposite of how I didn't want to be treated."

I am not even close to proclaiming perfection or even some kind of enlightenment with my parenting. Yes, there are many holes in my parenting philosophy, that can let important decisions slip through, and it will need to be elaborated on in the future.  However, I like to think it can be an example of how to rise above adveristy, and turn it into something good.

Genesis 50:20
American King James VersionBut as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it to good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

My randomness aka p.s. I know the above bible verse talks about the saving of many lives from a famine.  I add it in more for the underlined part, however I like to think that God saved the emotional lives of at least two little people, because of this revelation.





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