You know as parents we do the best we can to raise our children right. We pray with them and for them. We pray they accept Jesus into their hearts and lives. We pray for them as they go out into the world that they will stay strong in their faith and always make the right choices. We know they will make mistakes but we pray they learn and grow from them.
I remember when Stephen D was 5 and it was time to send him off to Kindergarten. I cried and cried!!! He was my baby and I had to let go of a part of him and send him off to school. A whole day without mommy by his side to protect him. Then when he cried I gathered him in my arms and started to head right back out of the dreadful school (which by the way was a great school) Then I stopped. Was this the way I was supposed to raise Stephen? Keep him at home, sheltered from the world. No...I was to raise him the best way I knew how, put him in the arms of the Lord and trust in Him to guide my son. So...I let go of him and let him make his way into his little world.
I also remember the day, of course, that he accepted Christ. It was our wedding anniversary and he spent the night with Nana and Papaw. He asked them that night to pray with him and my little boy accepted Christ with his Nana and Papaw. What a joyous day!!!
He is now ten years old. Always my little boy, my baby but now bigger. It is still hard sometimes to let go of him and send him to school. Will he make the right choices? Will he tell his friends about Jesus Christ or keep it to himself? He has learned a lot things that I would rather him not know from going to public school. Things I never learned until I was a teenager. But we should not keep Jesus to ourselves. We are to go and tell the world about His love and that is what my son does at school. My little missionary. There are so many kids in his school that do not know Christ and he makes sure he tells them. How proud we are of him!!!
He did a project in school about things he was thankful for and I have written it below-word for word.
The things I am thankful for....by Stephen Richardson
The things I am thankful for are my mom, dad, Jesus, Thomas, and my brother. My mom I am so thankful for because she takes me to Target when I need to spend some of my money. She makes me food. She gets PSP games for me. She is the best ever.
I am also thankful for my dad. He takes me to baseball games and he takes me fishing and also takes me to his office at the police department. It is cool having a dad like him.
The person I am most thankful for is Jesus because he loves me and he died on the cross for me and I will never forget that.
Thomas is one of my best friends ever. He is funny. He's a good hunter and fisher and I love being around him.
My brother Nicholas is the best brother I have ever had. He is a special needs baby but I still love him no matter what.From the words of a ten year old boy. Stephen, we love you so much. You make us so proud. We will forever pray for you as you grow and learn in your faith. We pray for His guidance and arms of protection around you as you teach others through your thoughtfulness and sincerity about the love of Jesus Christ. Thank you for teaching mommy and daddy about His love.
