PROVERBS 22:6

"Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it." That's the New Living Translation (NLT) of Proverbs 22:6. I enjoy using that when I'm reading Scripture - so easy to understand. As I read that this morning I began to reflect on the teaching of my own children. Charlie and I were far, far from perfect parents but one thing we tried to do was to make sure that the education they were getting at home matched with the education they were getting at church and at school. That was why we chose Christian schools for our kids. I'm not saying you shouldn't send your kids to public school - not at all. But I am saying that Christian schools were the best match for our family. It meant sacrifice; it meant taking and picking up every day; it meant lots of money out of our already thin pockets... but we felt it was a sacrifice God wanted us to make so we did... and have never regretted it.

Jason is an elder at Christ Community E-Free Church and works with the youth there. He continues to mold the young minds of those he works with as well as his 2 young children. You would be hard-pressed to find a more tender-hearted young man. He sticks to his beliefs - even to the point of losing a job over his refusal to sell products for stem-cell research. He married one of the most beautiful and sweet-spirited young women I've ever known. She's a fabulous mom and we could not have asked for a more wonderful daughter-in-law. We're sure God gave her to Jason and to us. And they have given us two beautiful grandchildren with a third one on the way. Woo-hoo!!!!!

As most of you know who read this, Sara just returned from 2 1/2 years in Nigeria as a journeyman missionary for the IMB. She endured food and drink that most of us would never even consider eating. She fought malaria after only being in the country for 6 weeks. I still say that mosquito bit her as she walked off the plane - and I'll bet it's name was Satan. Sara was so sick and many thought she would, or at least should, come home. But no - she was going to win that battle and she did! Sara has loved mission work since she went on that first trip with her Dad to Brazil when she was in junior high and she wanted to stay there. Since then she's been to Poland, to Guatemala several times, to Russia to study for a semester, and, of course, Nigeria. If you think she's home to stay, think again. God has greater and bigger work for her to do somewhere.

Chris, our baby, lives in Springfield and loves it there. And why wouldn't he? He's a hunter and fisherman and has all of that so close. He attends First Baptist, Ozark and enjoys a weekly Bible study on another night. Like most young men his age, he didn't give up on his upbringing - he found a church where he could worship and help him stay close to God and continue to study His Word. He loves basketball and helps out with Upward when his schedule allows it.

Some of know the story of Masha... some do not. Malikas (that's a nickname that I call her) and I first met on my first mission trip to Belarus in 2000. Keith was the leader for that trip and he had met her on a previous trip. After our initial contact fell through, Masha took the ball and ran with it. That trip would not have been possible without her and God's intervention. It's a long story - maybe for a different day. Anyway she and I eventually became close... close to the point of a mother/daughter relationship. In 2003 she married a young man, Chris, from the Isle of Man (look it up on a map) and that is where they are living. Malikas became a believer in her early teens - not because of the example she had received at home but because of other opportunities and other people in her life. While in Belarus, she translated for those who would come for mission or humanitarian trips. She attended Word of Life Baptist Church and worked with their teens. When she moved to the island, she attended Port St. Mary Baptist Church but many changes and many... well, wrong motives for doing things... made it difficult to stay. There aren't many options for evangelical churches in such a small place but she continues to read His Word and worship Him in hopes of finding a place of service. So no, I didn't raise Malikas because she was 21 when I met her... but I hope I've made an impact on her spiritual life. God has been so good to spare her life so we can be a family.

All this because I read Proverbs 22:6 this morning. Sorry to have gone on and on. As I said... Charlie and I aren't perfect parents; nor are our kids perfect. God has seen us through the really hard times and we've rejoiced together at the wonderful gifts He has given us. And to back up even more - I am grateful for the loving, Christian home that my parents provided for me. They set the first example for me as I was taught "to choose the right path."

Like the song says: God is so good! God is so good! God is so good; He's so good to me!