As I've thought about the many things I'm thankful for, and with Christmas right around the corner, I want to thank my parents for one of the greatest gifts they gave me--a gift they gave me by what they DIDN'T give me.
Growing up, we didn't have an excess of money. We always had what we needed, and much of what we wanted; I don't remember ever feeling like anything was missing. But we didn't ever spend a lot on clothes, home decor, nice cars, etc. We bought what was necessary, and enjoyed some "fun" things (on a small scale--like going out for ice cream) once-in-awhile.
As a parent now, I realize what a challenge it is to raise children in this world where entertainment and indulgence of every kind is but a credit card swipe away. It can be so tempting to buy every toy, every vacation, every happy meal, every this and that for our little ones; and often we're made to feel that if our children don't have these things, it's because we don't love them enough to properly "provide" for them. It is much easier to indulge ourselves and our children, than it is to exercise restraint. Truly loving our children requires us to hold back.
I was recently trying to find a favorite Conference talk that addressed this issue--but, sadly, I don't know who the speaker was. In my search, however, I still found a couple of quotes I like:
In 2001, Carol B. Thomas stated that, "We must avoid saturating our children with material things. We may deprive a child of enjoyment when we give him too much." Isn't it interesting that the world would have us believe that we're depriving our children by what we don't give them, when in reality we run the risk of depriving them of true joy by what we do give them.
I have a good friend whose husband has been out of work for almost a year. Their Christmas this year will be very small. They've always lived on a tight budget, and she told me about another small Christmas they had: She said she was worried, as she knew of other families who lived around them who would be enjoying new quads, new video game systems, etc. on Christmas morning, and she wasn't sure how her kids were going to feel when they saw what all their friends had gotten. When Christmas morning came, they opened presents and enjoyed some family time, then went outside to play with their neighborhood friends. After checking out their friends' new things, her kids ran back home and said, "This is the best Christmas EVER!!!" Seeing everyone else's STUFF hadn't phased them at all. They were grateful for what they had received, and never seemed to feel that anything was unfair. This quote by Richard G. Scott perfectly sums up the example that was set by these sweet kids: "Children teach us how to find joy even under the most challenging circumstances. Children haven't yet learned to be depressed by concentrating on the things they don't have."
As I think about my Christmas experiences as a child, I remember two gifts: One was a little blue Stomper volkswagen that was in my stocking; the other was the game "Operation," that I had been wanting for MONTHS--maybe years. My parents kept Christmas very simple, and I will be forever indebted to them for that.
As a mom now, I want more than anything for my own children to find joy in everyday life. I don't want them to live life constantly in search of the next exciting purchase or the next new upgrade; only to be left, time after time, feeling empty. I pray that they will find joy in nature, uplifting music, good literature, and most of all, truth. I hope that they will find satisfaction in activities like hiking, playing simple games, chatting with loved ones, accomplishing goals...
I'm so grateful for parents who taught me to find joy in simple things, and I hope I can manage to pass this wonderful gift on to my children.
THANK YOU, MOM & DAD! I LOVE YOU!!!
Growing up, we didn't have an excess of money. We always had what we needed, and much of what we wanted; I don't remember ever feeling like anything was missing. But we didn't ever spend a lot on clothes, home decor, nice cars, etc. We bought what was necessary, and enjoyed some "fun" things (on a small scale--like going out for ice cream) once-in-awhile.
As a parent now, I realize what a challenge it is to raise children in this world where entertainment and indulgence of every kind is but a credit card swipe away. It can be so tempting to buy every toy, every vacation, every happy meal, every this and that for our little ones; and often we're made to feel that if our children don't have these things, it's because we don't love them enough to properly "provide" for them. It is much easier to indulge ourselves and our children, than it is to exercise restraint. Truly loving our children requires us to hold back.
I was recently trying to find a favorite Conference talk that addressed this issue--but, sadly, I don't know who the speaker was. In my search, however, I still found a couple of quotes I like:
In 2001, Carol B. Thomas stated that, "We must avoid saturating our children with material things. We may deprive a child of enjoyment when we give him too much." Isn't it interesting that the world would have us believe that we're depriving our children by what we don't give them, when in reality we run the risk of depriving them of true joy by what we do give them.
I have a good friend whose husband has been out of work for almost a year. Their Christmas this year will be very small. They've always lived on a tight budget, and she told me about another small Christmas they had: She said she was worried, as she knew of other families who lived around them who would be enjoying new quads, new video game systems, etc. on Christmas morning, and she wasn't sure how her kids were going to feel when they saw what all their friends had gotten. When Christmas morning came, they opened presents and enjoyed some family time, then went outside to play with their neighborhood friends. After checking out their friends' new things, her kids ran back home and said, "This is the best Christmas EVER!!!" Seeing everyone else's STUFF hadn't phased them at all. They were grateful for what they had received, and never seemed to feel that anything was unfair. This quote by Richard G. Scott perfectly sums up the example that was set by these sweet kids: "Children teach us how to find joy even under the most challenging circumstances. Children haven't yet learned to be depressed by concentrating on the things they don't have."
As I think about my Christmas experiences as a child, I remember two gifts: One was a little blue Stomper volkswagen that was in my stocking; the other was the game "Operation," that I had been wanting for MONTHS--maybe years. My parents kept Christmas very simple, and I will be forever indebted to them for that.
As a mom now, I want more than anything for my own children to find joy in everyday life. I don't want them to live life constantly in search of the next exciting purchase or the next new upgrade; only to be left, time after time, feeling empty. I pray that they will find joy in nature, uplifting music, good literature, and most of all, truth. I hope that they will find satisfaction in activities like hiking, playing simple games, chatting with loved ones, accomplishing goals...
I'm so grateful for parents who taught me to find joy in simple things, and I hope I can manage to pass this wonderful gift on to my children.
THANK YOU, MOM & DAD! I LOVE YOU!!!
);%20%3C/script%3E){kind=link}
2 comments:
AMEN! Aren't Mom and Dad great? Thanks for writing this. :)
I so love your wisdom. I often find myself wanting to be just like you when I grow up!
Post a Comment