Dr. James Dobson tells about a time he came home when his son, Ryan was a small baby.  It had been a terrible day for his wife.  Ryan had been sick, and had cried all day long.  Once, as Shirley was changing his diaper, the telephone rang and she reached over to answer it before fastening up his diaper.  Just then Ryan had an attack of diarrhea.  She cleaned up that mess and put him in clean, sweet-smelling clothes.  Then she took him into the living room and fed him.  As she was burping him he threw up all over himself, and her and the couch too.  Dodson said, “When I came home I could smell the aroma of motherhood everywhere.”  Shirley cried out, “Was all of this in my contract?”

I suppose that if we were to take time, every mother could tell similar stories of their own children, and what is really remarkable, as miserable as those days seemed at the time, they somehow give us joy and laughter as time passes and the kids grow.

Parenting is one of those things that if we knew what we were getting into, very few would probably go through with it.  However, generally speaking, the rewards and joys of being a parent far outweigh the pain and sorrow.

But what if there were a contract?  I wonder if God required parents to sign a contract before he gave children to them, what kinds of things might he require of parents?  What would be some of the things He would ask us to pass on?  Certainly our faith, love, values would be on the list.  Would there be others?  Would you sign such a contract?

What have you passed on?

Grace and peace,
Stephen Webb, Pastor
First United Methodist Church