THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER

Once a week I visit our daughter’s house to spend time with our grandchildren. The other day while visiting we decided to watch the movie, “Up.” Perhaps some of you still remember the movie; it was out years ago. It’s one of my favorites when we watched it with our young children then and it still is.

While watching, our oldest grandson just couldn’t sit still; he moved around, talked, and shouted, as if he were in the movie itself. When he saw Russel, the little boy in the movie, climb up on Carl’s head, the old man in the movie, this grandson of ours decided to enact the scene . . . on me! He climbed up on my body and stood on my head. Not on my shoulders, but on my head. Just like the movie.

There is an old lesson to be learned here: Children learn the most by watching! They need to hear us repeat words of instruction many times before they get it, but they only need to watch it once before they get it. We can’t say, “Don’t do what I do; just do what I say.” It won’t work because they learn from what they watch, not hear.

In a life time, children will meet hundreds or even thousands of people, but none will impact their lives more than their mothers. The reason is obvious: For the first 18 years all they see are their mothers. It is no wonder that mothers have a special place in our hearts, in some cases far more special than fathers.

I have been blessed by a good mother who raised me in the fear of the Lord and showed me what sacrifice was. I have been blessed by Santy, the mother of our children, who, as the sun, has brightened my life, especially during the darkest days. I am sure you too have been blessed by your beloved mothers—God’s angels on earth.

Pastor Paul