You have probably figured out by now that I am bit of an off road guy. I tend to take the road less traveled. I enjoy doing things differently. I tend to see things differently and sometimes to think differently.
That is true in every area of my life. It was true of my parenting style as well. I believe that part of parenting is finding creative, intentional ways to embarrass the hooey out of your kids.
And I did it well. Still do it well.
Our son made a pretty quick journey to self-confidence. He was born with a lot of security in his soul. He pretty much knew who he was and acted out of a sense of certainty all the way through childhood and adolescence. Bragging on him was fun but not always essential. He knew who he was most of the time.
Our daughter made a slower journey to self-confidence. She struggled more with being sure of herself. She was more sensitive to the opinion of others. She came more from the insecure side of life. Bragging on her was way essential. We needed to catch her doing something right and then go crazy in celebration of that moment. And we did!
When Danna was in the ninth grade, she found something that was totally her niche. She discovered cheerleading. And cheerleading at her school was not just pompoms and cute cheers. It was choreography. It was athletic. It was a sport all of its own. Her school competed regularly in and often won national cheerleading competitions. It was big stuff.
I had a blast her freshman year. My wife and I went to every event where she cheered. And at every single event, I would wait for the perfect moment when she had performed really well to stand to my feet and shout at one hundred plus decibels “That’s a my girl!” The first time she turned totally red with embarrassment – and then grinned the rest of the night! She needed to know that her father was proud of her.
My daughter is now thirty-two and coaching her first team. She is the coach for her nine year-old son and his soccer team.
I had my first chance to watch my daughter coach and to watch my grandson and this team play this past spring.
I stood and shouted “That’s a my girl” and “That’s a my grandson” in a very loud voice. I did it multiple times. I was obnoxious. I wanted the world to know I am proud of them.
I am driven to hear my heavenly Father say “This is my son – in whom I am well pleased.” I need to hear that regularly. I live my life to hear that when I meet Him face to face in Heaven. It matters to me.
So if I want Him to be well pleased with me, I need to be about what He is about.
For too many years, I followed Christ for the benefits of following Christ. I liked how it made me feel about me. That is not a bad thing. But there is more.
Then for several years, I followed Christ for the admiration of other Christ followers who mattered to me. Not the best of motivations – but not the worst either. But there is more.
I want to be on mission because my Father is on mission.
I want to be a missionary because Jesus is a missionary.
I want to be sent because I am sent.
I want to live life saying “Here I am – send me.”
I want to hear my Father say “Well done, my son.”
Here is the way I have learned to say it and think it.
Live your life for an audience of one.
At the end of this life, only one opinion is going to count. It is not my opinion. It is not your opinion. It is His opinion. It is The Opinion. It will be the only opinion that counts.