and a blessed 2003 to all.
As a dual granddad and a father of three over 20yrs. kids I know the feeling.
Last Saturday I said bye to my youngest (6 months) g-child Naomi and wave the rest of her family off to fly back to Sweden .
What have I done as a father to deserve the blessings of a growing family ?
When I reflect as Virgil does I come across many, many instances during my occupation as a father where I rather turn my face in embarrasement.
But God must have taken over when I flunked the test as a father.
And now Petra (29) has a family of her own, is employed at SAS as a flight attendant - now on maternity leave, a good swedish husband with a good job
and all are active believers.
Tim (26) is on his last leg in University, kind of laid back and easy going.
Still living in our town.
Shaky faith.
Ex-Royal Ranger.
Loves small kids.
Max (20) still is determined to become a commercial airline pilot.
After school this year he joins the Army to do his time there (my idea) and enlist long enough to go to Afghanistan.(Not my idea).
After that he wants to go to Bible school and then earn his wings.
In the meantime he joined one of the political parties and got voted into the council.
His outlook on live is conservative and biblical.
Ex-Royal Ranger
All three grew up in the same family.
Each one is different .
Two did not want to be like their father yet they are a replica of myself.
They still do not want to be like me.
Yet we love each other and I am Pondering Man.
BTW, we will be flying off to Paris tomorrow for a day thanks to Max (20) our airline freak who gave us the tickets for Christmas.
Tim and his girl friend Maria paid for the Metro in Paris and the Eiffel tower.
The tree will accompany us since they like us and Maria speaks French.
It will be fun going on tour with the family.
Watch the European news and look out for the guy letting the Royal Ranger flag fly high up on the Eiffel tower.
Au revoir
Guenter
45.5N122.7W schrieb:
Honesty chat- <G>
*Current events have made me aware that a "Great Transition"
is underway in my family, as my son turned 18.
Us solid types<G> who have put much into our kids childhoods
often miss the mark with this phase of life, where the bird
begins to learn to fly on his own...
*I had some trouble with my Dad over issues when I was 18 and
I want to do better- *For Josh and for my own peace of mind.
I'm several things- ..as a Dad
1.I'm on the edge of my seat-
I don't know the future or the gameplan Josh is about to choose for
himself. *I'm pledged to love him and in measured amounts support
anything he chooses. He may choose "Plan A" and enroll in College
next year.. He may do something else..
2.I'm a "compassionate conservitive judge"
Many times, the shortcommings we see brings rebuke, that earlier
in his life was warrented. At this point of transition, his age
requires adult *understanding and grace in these matters. Josh
has done well, and earned a certian amount of respect with trust.
That said.. sometimes his decisions are flakey<G>
3.I'm a Liberal and tolerant source of encouragement
*Personaly, for me- I have chosen not to sweat the details...
At 18, his music, dress and culture *should be "different" and
is- from mine. However, the goal is to continue open communication
and "moments" of positive contact built on mutual respect.
4.I'm an "Investment banker" in sketchy enterprise<G>
Every young bird will learn to fly. My hope is that Josh learns to fly solo..
He needs to know how the world works, and how money greases
the skids to aquire wealth. He should learn the value of money
and how it relates to effort, *But he should also learn to be
generious while learning thrift.
This too is also a spiritual "Ministry" for me.
I do give regularily and sacrificialy!<G> (Bank of Dad)
5.I'm an "Oracle of reason"
Sometimes the best thing we can do is to just talk about
nothing in general, and let the convesation drift to other
topics.. Often, this leads me to draw sketches on scrap
paper to define engines of prosperity, flow charts of power
and ways to watch for opportunity..
Sometimes insight comes from a 3/4 angle of a nagging problem.
Recently we can accross a format called "active listening" where
you signal back what you "heard" following a conversational point.
Brutal as this is.. *The thought that we were trying something
off a paper to build fair communication skills, fired new resolve
in Josh to play fair<G> ...mayby seeing where the "game" came
from allowed him to better participate<G>
Here's the scoresheet on my son...
Josh Wheeler 18
Senior Ft.Vancouver HS GPA 3.1
president of "model United Nations"
Summer lifeguard Camp Meriwether
GMA#3911
Eagle Scout
Potential Tuition waver to LC College
Portland,or
'87 Honda Civic
Girlfriend- "Jennifer"
enjoys alturnitive rock and hip-hop
1 Total wreck of his car-zero injury
1 speeding ticket
No job..
*Stay tuned-
-=A=-
=====
*High MORALE is the Index of effective Leadership.
--------------********+********--------------------
Morale raises belief of the Leader in the follower,
of the follower in the Leader, of each in themself,
and both in the .....cause!
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
http://mailplus.yahoo.com
_______
"Do to others as you would have them do to you."
-- Luke 6:31 (NIV)
List host: http://eBible.org/mpj/ List info: http://RangerNet.org/faq.htm
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
or visit http://rangernet.org/subscribe.htm
_______ "Do to others as you would have them do to you." -- Luke 6:31 (NIV) List host: http://eBible.org/mpj/ List info: http://RangerNet.org/faq.htm To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://rangernet.org/subscribe.htm
