I'm going to hold off on part IV (4) of How to Teach the Children for a while because right about now, someone out there is thinking, "How is all this parenting going to make me happy?" It seems human beings for the most part live in very selfish worlds where everything seems to revolve around "me". Telling a young father that his role is to sacrifice himself can be pretty heart wrenching so I'll go easy on the explanation in way everyone can understand.
There was once a very greedy man who heard of a rumor that there was a goose that laid golden eggs in a town half way around the world. Consumed with his own selfish desire, he sold everything he had to book a passage on a ship and journeyed to this place he had heard so much about.
When he arrived he saw a town flourishing with wonderfully extravagant shops, houses, and attire everywhere. In the middle of the town there was a small home made of luxurious and expensive materials. People would stop in and visit whomever lived in the home. The greedy man was so full of curiosity that he quickly moved to examine this miniature house that appeared to be made for a small person. Inside was a beautiful goose that sat and laid the most beautiful golden eggs. Each day the goose would lay one egg and each day whenever the eggs became too numerous the towns people would go and collect them. The most unusal thing was the this goose appeared to have something in its throat because about every minute or so, it would crane its necks, chomp the air as if choking, then settle down again. All the towns people loved the goose and only took the golden eggs when they were beginning to crowd the goose.
One night the greedy man crept into the goose's house, clamped his hand around the goose's beak and stole away with it. He fled into the hills and watched the goose day after day. Each day he noticed the goose was getting thinner and thinner. No matter what the greedy man brought the goose, the goose refused to eat. Finally after what seemed like weeks, the man returned with the goose and in frustration threw the goose back into the town.
The towns people were so glad to see their goose that tears of joy fell from their cheeks. The goose seemed to go into a seizure. It's mouth opened and closed dramatically and appeared to snap at nothing in the air. Finally, after a few moments the goose settled down and the townspeople gathered around it. The greedy man approached the crowd fearful that they might try to punish him for his deed, but they simply embraced him.
Finally the would-be thief found the courage to speak and asked why the goose didn't lay any eggs for him. The inhabitants of the town replied that the goose was starving in his presence. The goose fed on love. The love that the townspeople showed for the goose and each other was what caused it to lay golden eggs.
Many people seek happiness in other people or things or circumstances, but fail to see that true joy doesn't come from those things, but the attitude we have toward those things and people. If you decide to have children because you think they will make you happy, you are going to be sorely disappointed my friend. You will not receive joy from your children. The attitude you have toward your children will be the joy you receive.
Learn to love first first. If you're like me, I didn't have a clue how to love myself, my wife, or anyone else for that matter. I had to ask God to show me how to love. He did and today I love my wife of 20 years more than I ever have before. I learned to love my children because of the love God first had for little, old, imperfect me.
Today my children lay those eggs of joy for my wife and I to gather each day. While our kids can and will get under our skin, it is our love for them that allows us all to make mistakes, forgive, and learn from those mistake.
11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:11, King James Version)
Man O God
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