reaping what you sow

When I was little all I ever wanted was for my parents to somehow get back together. I say when I was little, it is truly only fair to say that I felt that way from about age 9 to 12. My thoughts and feelings changed when I turned 12 and all the sudden my heart was burdened with my dad's lost soul. He was a bit of a drinker when we were young. I never realized how much this impacted me until I was an adult and was scared (still am) to drink in a crowd and, of course, never alone. I had a few embarrassing incidents in college that were obviously paternally inherited.
I knew that his mom was a 'good woman' and until her funeral did not know that she used to sing in church. My mom sheltered us a bit from any sort of super close relationship with my dad's parents. My mom meant well and as we got older encouraged us to build that relationship. It was just not a place where we would have been spending the night or going over for Sunday dinner. We joke that by sundown my grandpa was posted at the end of the driveway with a shotgun, drunk, and awaiting any trespassers.
My dad was having a sordid affair with an older, wrinkled, epileptic smoker that he worked with; while all along my mom was taking care of 4 children and babysat a few of her working friends kids during the day. She had never worked outside of the home, and she and my dad had just custom built a beautiful home for our family. Needless to say, we moved into a rental and my mom got her first job since high school. My little sister was still in the crib, so my older sister, 12, myself, 9, and our brother, 4.5, were instant babysitters, housekeepers, etc.
I say epileptic because our first blessed opportunity to meet this scary woman was at a pizza place where she had a siezure when ordering the pizza. All I remember was her false teeth coming out and my little sister crying in the high chair. We were all scared. For goodness sakes, we were way to young to be witnessing all of that. It was hard enough because there were several promising weekends prior to this one that we would all 4 wait at the front door for his arrival and he would not show. I can just remember my mom scooping us all up and taking us to the park or something to help us feel a little better about being stood up.
My dad moved to Louisiana with this woman after a failed attempt to start a business led to bancruptcy in Oklahoma. While there and still married, he met a woman. Someone else that he worked with...although this time younger, smarter, very cajun, very opinionated, very passionate about life, and very controlling of him. She was young enough to want more children. They were blessed with 3. Yes, my father has 7 beautiful (if I do say so myself) children.
I wanted to say all that to say this...at age 31 I can honestly say that God's covenant with Abram in Genesis really does still hold true today.
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all people on earth will be blessed through you."
My dad was prayed for by me for right at 10 years before God spoke to him. As a kid every time anyone asked for prayer requests, that was mine. I would simply say, "My dad." It was hard on all of us. We were raised in a conservative Southern Baptist Church, do you know the kind? Where you can't even wear shorts in the gymnasium? My mom was pretty well shunned by all but 2 women that come to mind. I even had a friend who's parents would no longer let her stay the night because my mom was 'a single parent'. No telling what hell she would have been exposed to.
I was the director of Vacation Bible School when I first started teaching school and had summer time to help out with that. I loved it. I never realized what an impact VBS was having on the parents of the kids who came. I then found out that is one main reason that churches have this big event. To get the parents to come! Well, that same summer, my dad's kids were attending VBS in their community and the rest is history.
My dad...once I felt cursed by him, and he would tell you today that he has reaped plenty of what he sowed. Yet, he would also tell you that taking his teenagers to ballgames, school events, and church functions is now something he loves. I used to think that would have made me jealous, but I can't tell you how happy it makes me. He would tell you a funny story about how one time his wife had to bail him out of jail and he to this day will never hear the end of it. He would tell you that without her persuasive, persistence he would not be walking the straight and narrow. He would tell you how proud of his kids he is. He would tell you that he never wanted to hurt anyone, but admits to hurting everyone. He will call himself 'honorable grandfather' to my two sweethearts and laugh the hardest on the phone when they are talking to him. He would tell you that he cooks for the men's prayer breakfast, runs the powerpoint on Sunday mornings, and is amazed whenever he can share his testimony. I am amazed at the blessings that I have received from coming to the realization that he will meet Jesus someday just as I prayed for and I know my siblings did too. That he is already forgiven and that we are all in this together as believers. That none of us are perfect and that's why we have Jesus. Thank you for the promises and long lasting covenants that You and only You give Lord!