IT'S EASIER TO BUILD STRONG CHILDREN THAN REPAIR BROKEN MEN

By Vernalee

One thing that we know is that we have to work hard to show our children the way! It's an all inclusive process.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us -

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

The benefits will clearly pay off. If we don’t train them, they’ll pick up their education somewhere; sometimes in the wrong places. No doubt about it, Frederick Douglass was right. “It’s easier to build stronger children than repair broken men.”

When they become older, they are “set in their ways,” making turning the corner and correcting their paths definitely more difficult than it seems. Children with little or no home training become adults that are hard to temper.

Truly, that is a fact and not fiction ... which should undoubtedly become our impetus to provide our children with a solid foundation on the front end. That is really where the training and help begin. If they grow older as broken men, sometimes, we can only …

pray for the best!

Photo credit: www.boredteachers.com

THE YOUTH CAN WALK FASTER BUT THE ELDER KNOWS THE ROAD

By Vernalee

Look at that old lady using a stick for her walking cane...

Take a good look at her. Her feet and soul seem tired. She looks frail and weary, but I know that her eyes have seen many many moons. I saw many of those old ladies in my hometown in Mississippi. Some of the things that they told me, I took heed. Others, I did not. My friends and I discounted their advice. Sounds familiar? "Count yourself blessed if you have elders in your life who can give you good and true counsel, and show you the right ways in life. Our elders have a lot of life experiences from which we can learn. Seek them out and give a listening ear to their wisdom. Your life will be better for it. A wise man or a woman is the one who listens to wise counsel." " Wisdom is found in those who take advice " ~ Proverbs 13:10

What a resource we have in our old folks who have walked many miles on dirt, gravel, and paved road. They know where all the dangerous holes and curves are. They know what to avoid, when to stop, and when to take a detour. They even know when it’s safe not to journey. Imagine that!

Yes it’s true that age has slowed them down. Their steps are not as fast as they once were. Yes, it’s true! The younger ones can run circles around them. But they (the elders) have the wisdom. They know and have navigated the path many times over.

In hindsight, I wished that I had listened more intently! We do many things the hard way, before we learn. I did! I suspect so did you. Now I know the true meaning of that proverb, "The youth can walk fast, but the elder knows the road." I know that wisdom is wealth. I now realize how wise they were. Listening is a sign of maturity! It’s a safeguard!

Photo Credit and Source: pininterest.ch; Reconnect African Child Foundation

FRIENDSHIP 101

By Vernalee

For the record, you don’t need to take a class (Friendship 101), to determine who your real friends are. Your heart, love, body & soul, and evidence of treatment will tell you! Friends that you love and who love you; friends who care about you and your well-being; sincere friends; respectful friends……..who could ask for anything more! When you pick up your phone to talk to a true friend, it appears as if they are in the next room though they may be miles apart. Distance is immaterial. Though schedules may prevent you from getting together frequently, they are never far! Feed, water, and nurture your true friends because the value of true friendship is priceless! You are connected through your hearts and you become a blessing to each other! I am truly blessed. Are you? Photo credit: www.thedailyquotes.com