teaching how to live….
Today has been a very difficult work day. In the work that I do you have days that are out of the park, over the rainbow, up to the moon- wonderful days….and then you have days that are just….well, difficult. I am a parent— a parent of 3 unperfect children and yet there is nothing I would not do for them. I know what it feels like to have children that sometimes make bad decisions- I know what it’s like to love those children anyway and I know what it is like to want my children to have more- be more- succeed more. But as I said- I am the parent of 3 unperfect children. In my role at work- I get to meet and speak with some very unperfect children. I know most of them has someone in their lives that love them— that want them to have more, be more, succeed more….but some times these children make bad decisions. When they do I am blessed to say to them as I meet with them- that I will not judge them, that I will not hate them, that I will pray with them and for them….that I will help them in every way I can…but sometimes discipline is exactly what makes a difference for them. Sometimes no matter how much crying a young lady might do- or how much begging or pleading she might do— discipline is right. It doesn’t change my care for a student any more than it would change my care for my own children. Some times a parent of a student that I discipline is upset and even so angry that they say things I know they do not mean. Sometimes they hurt me or others I work with and for. And sometimes a decision I make is so hard- it breaks my heart to see a young woman walk out of my office knowing she is going home to something so much worse than what she has here on our campus….but a bad decision has occurred and a discipline will follow…along with a lot of prayer for that person. I know the Lord believed in discipline and I know that while it is not easy for the parent of that young person— it does not teach them anything to do nothing- it does not affect them for the better and it does not teach them how to live for God. Doing right is hard…..but we must in order to obey our Father. Tonight I have wept for three people that I know are hurting because they know what they did was right and yet no lesson was learned and for one person that I know is being hurt by not being taught that a bad decision does not mean you are not loved or cared for or prayed for but does require discipline. I keep asking myself why the events that occurred today have occurred and I have no answer— I will keep on keeping on and I will continue to do what I should in my work but the pain of this young person not being taught is very hard. I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and accept that I do not understand.
