Train Up a Child

Saturday I was in the back yard pulling weeds (Getting my flowerbed ready for seeds. The very seeds I harvested from my zinnias last summer. I am so excited to watch them grow!) when I heard deep voices wafting through the air.
I was pretty sure Matthew was the only other person home, so I was a little confused.
And curious enough to get off my knees and search out the source of that other voice.

The scene I discovered delighted my heart.

As I came around the house I found Matthew and Phil in the driveway, with Phil's car.
And a jack.
And the two of them deep in discussion.
I remembered something about a phone call to Brian the previous day regarding car problems, and deduced that Phil had come over to do some investigating with him. However, Brian wasn't home. So apparently Matthew decided to step in and see if he could help figure out the problem.
At first my thought was, Wait a minute. How can he know what to do?
But then I remembered Matthew isn't a little boy anymore. Although sometimes reluctantly, he has gone over car repair procedures with Brian. He has learned how to change tires and brakes, and has even done some repair work on his own. And it would seem that amount of background gave him enough confidence to problem-solve with Phil.
So I looked upon these two young men who were attempting to diagnose an unsettling noise, and I smiled with great joy.
Because I remember when each of our kids complained about various life-lessons Brian or I would try to teach. Specifically - the groaning the boys did when Brian insisted they learn how to do this or that bit of maintenance on their cars. The memories are still fresh of times when I thought it would be easier to just let them have a pass on attaining skills, when it would have been nice to circumvent the whining and - instead - get the "cool parent" award for letting them off the hook.
But Saturday afternoon I was witnessing the fruit of choosing well, rather than choosing easy.
And the scene delighted my heart!

Full disclosure: Many of the life-lessons we have attempted to pass on to our children were painful at the time. Beyond the complaints and whining, I often got discouraged by comments about us being too strict - or feeling like we were asking too much.
(My inner child sometimes agreed with my external children!)
But I'm telling you now, it was worth it. Every last bit of it! To see my children today, adulting and appreciating the lessons we taught - ahhhh! It is such a delight.
So, for those of you who find yourself in the midst of training now - for the times when you question the value of it all - please accept my encouragement to keep going. You'll be so glad you did.
And so will your kids!!!