Thanks Mom & Dad

The other day I was talking to my mom, and she mentioned that she looks back on her early years as a pastor's wife wondering why she didn't do more for others.  This floored me.  My parents are two of the most giving people I have ever known.  It made me realize how, as kids, we just take for granted all the things our parents do for us.  It's high time I officially thank them.

Growing up, my dad was the principal at my elementary school (K-8).  He was also the pastor of our church.  My mom was a second grade teacher at another local K-8 school.  We lived about one mile from my school, but I chose not to ride the bus.  I could've stayed home until about 15 minutes before school started.  I chose to go to school when my mom left for her job.  I remember getting up and leaving for school well before 7:00 each morning.  My dad was never home when I got up.  He was already at school working.  My mom didn't have to be at school so early, but she chose to devote herself to her job of teaching.  So, both of my parents put in many excess hours each week just to do their jobs well.  

In the 80s, a principal of a rural elementary school had a lot of weight on his/her shoulders.  They didn't have a superintendent over them.  There was no assistant principal under them to share the workload.  It was just my dad and two secretaries, Helen & Nita.  Those secretaries were awesome ladies.  Between them and my dad, they oversaw every detail of the day-to-day routine at the school.  My dad attended every school activity after hours, too.  Again, there was no one to share that responsibility with him.  A lot of kids would have described my dad as scary.  I didn't have a lot of sleepovers as a result.  It was just part of the job to assert himself as an authority figure.  Truth is, he was a lot of fun.  The kids who did come and stay with us learned quickly that he wasn't so bad after all.  A principal always attracts a lot of criticism, because someone's kid is always getting into trouble.  Others just always believe someone else could do a better job.  It's a thankless role.  I can't begin to imagine the stress that he dealt with all those nearly 20 years. 

In addition to his job as principal, my dad was a pastor of a small country church.  We didn't miss a service.  We were there every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening.  His Saturdays were spent preparing for his Sunday sermons.  My dad was a minister that ministered to his congregation.  If someone was sick or had a problem, he was there for them.  He made countless trips to hospitals hours away to visit those in need.  We had a lot of good fellowship with our church family, too.  I remember many Friday evenings spent in fellowship with church members.

My mom went above and beyond expectations to be the best teacher she could be.  As I said, she arrived at her job much earlier than anyone expected.  She wanted to be prepared for her students.  She always went to great lengths to decorate her room and make it a pleasant place to be for the kids.  She was organized like no other.  You wouldn't see her leaving the school the minute the kids cleared out, either.  She rarely made it home before 4:30, even though school dismissed nearly an hour earlier.  She would come home to a house full of hungry kids.  I'm sure we hit her with "What's for supper Mom?" nearly every single night, the minute she walked in the door.   She cooked a complete meal most every evening.  We ate out very little.  Her evenings were spent grading papers and making lesson plans for the days ahead.  She had precious little time for herself.  Yet, I never remember the laundry or dishes piling up.  I never remember our house being messy.  She gave of herself completely.  This is why I was appalled at her questioning of her performance as a pastor's wife in those days.  Where would she have found one extra minute, let alone hour, per week?  

It sounds as if my parents couldn't have had any time for our family.  However, it's quite the opposite.  I have many great memories of my childhood and my parents.  Somehow, they always made time for us and made us feel important.  Don't you wish in childhood you could really appreciate the sacrifices made by your parents for you?  I do.  I wish I'd have told my parents how much I loved and appreciated them then.  I am glad that it's not too late to tell them that their selflessness was much more than I deserved.  I am thankful that God gave me such wonderful parents.  If you still have parents, grandparents, or guardians that were devoted to you, tell them thank you today.  Tell them that they did a great job and met all your expectations.  Tell them everything they did for you was just enough or more.  I couldn't have asked for more.