Now please do not read one or two sentences and think, "uh-huh,
another sermon.
I 'm outta here." Please give me a chance and more importantly,
give yourself a chance. Finish reading the page, huh?
First, I would like to tell you what a circle is. You say,
"Well dummy, I know what a circle is. Why do I need you to
tell me. " Yes, you know what a circle is, but do you really
know what a circle represents?
A circle is endless. There is no beginning and no end. You always
come back to the starting point. You can follow the curve of the
circle forever but you still must pass the place where you first
began to trace the curve. I say that, to say this. What goes around,
comes around. Life is a circle of events that recur over and over.
(The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be: and that
which is done, is that which shall be done and there is
no new thing under the sun.
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, see, this is new?
It hath been already of old time, which was before us. Ecclesiastes
1: 9-10)
Whatever you do in life will come back to haunt you. A circle
also represents eternity. Just some food for thought.
Next let me say that I have no children of my own. The following
is what I learned while growing up myself. I had two wonderful
parents whom I love dearly. They are gone now and I miss them
with all of my heart. But, I didn't think they were great while
I was growing up. Why? Because I did not want to be disciplined.
I wanted my own way and I did not always get it, but I know what
happened if I did not regard what my parents said or if I showed
disrespect. *SMILE* It wasn't only a privilege taken
away. I also got a paddle across my seat and I don't think I
turned out too badly. I have no scars, no permanent bruises, only
memories of love from my parents and a good and decent home and
a feeling now of thankfulness for parents who loved me.
Are you having a problem getting along with your parents? Do you
feel abused, neglected, misunderstood? Do you feel unloved because
they will not allow you
to do what everyone else is doing? Look around you at what everyone
else is doing. They are going to you know where in a hand basket.
Most of them are on a downhill path to destruction.
I know that some young people today are abused, sexually and
otherwise. I know that some parents have no idea of how to correct
a child without beating them and I know that some parents beat
their spouse and children just because they are cruel. I know
there are a lot of parents who neglect their children woefully
and who just don't care. However, I would like for you to ask
yourself the following questions. And be honest with your answers.
It is the only fair way. If you can say you have any of the above
problems, truly and honestly, there are ways to get help. But
be sure of what you are doing before you take that approach.
GOD SAYS: He that spareth his rod hateth his son; but he that
loveth him chasteneth him (early) Proverbs 13: 24
1. If you are truly being abused, (beaten, sexually abused,) there are agencies who can help, however, before you report your parent for abusing you, be sure your report is based on facts. Many children today take this means of "punishing" their parents for not giving them their own way. If you report your parents for abusing you and it is not based upon fact, you ruin the lives of the two people who have given you life and who are trying to support you and give you a good home and the lives of people who love you. You betray them. You shame them in the public eye, you cause them to have a police record they do not deserve and you are depriving yourself of the care they would give you if you had not been responsible for their being housed in the local jail, or worse yet, prison.
2. If you are feeling neglected, stop and ask yourself why?
Is your parent leaving you alone to go out drinking, partying
with their friends and ignoring you completely?
Or is it necessary for both parents to work in order to feed,
clothe and put you through school or college? Are they sacrificing
their younger years doing what is necessary instead of what they
would like to be doing-spending more time with their family? If
a parent loves you that much, you owe respect and gratitude to
them and it wouldn't hurt to try to help mom around the house
or if you are a male, to help Dad do some maintenance or other
work that needs to be done so they can have, at least, a little
time to rest before returning to work the next day or on Monday.
3. Are you really misunderstood? Do you parents not even try
to understand your position as a young person? Do they turn a
deaf ear when you try to talk to them?
Ask yourself this question. Is that really what is going on or
is it that you do not want to understand their position? Is it
just possible that they care enough about you that they want only
the best for you and for you to be safe and, perhaps, you think
you are misunderstood because they will not allow you to go all
of the places you want to go, even if it isn't the proper place.
Perhaps you think they are not listening because they do not respond
the way you want them to.
GOD SAYS: A wise son heareth his father's instruction, but a scoffer
heareth not rebuke. Proverbs 13:1
THE SOLUTION NOW THAT YOU ARE A TEENAGER
Try to understand that when a parent attempts to discipline you,
they are trying to teach you the lessons in life that you must
learn if you are going to live around other people when you are
older, which you must do-live around other people and grow older.
When a parent says "no", stop and think about it. Try
to understand why they are saying "no." Use your head
for something besides a hat rack. It isn't because they hate you.
It is because they love you and want you to be a decent person.
And most times, if you are honest with yourself, you will admit
that they are right in not wanting you to do certain things. And
if you are not honest with yourself, you are not going to be honest
with anyone else.
Why not try to be friends with your parents instead of thinking
they are your enemy. They are not your enemy. At least most parents
aren't. Try helping around the house if both parents work, instead
of sitting around wondering what to do with yourself and resenting
the fact that you are alone and wondering what you can do to entertain
yourself and ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time .
If you are busy helping, these thoughts never enter your mind.
And do you know what? You will actually feel good about yourself.
You will feel that you have accomplished something useful and
important and you will feel more a part of the family as a whole.
Even if both parents don't work , it is not going to hurt you
to help out. Do something to give Mom and Dad a break. Let them
enjoy life a little. They deserve to have some fun as much as
you do.
Lose that attitude that it isn't cool to respect parents nor give
them any leeway at all. It isn't cool not to respect them. It
is plain dumb. They brought you into this world. They took care
of you when you couldn't take care of yourself. They feed you,
clothe you, pay for your education, sometimes at great sacrifice
to themselves. If your parents cannot afford to give you everything
you want, try to understand their position. It is rough making
a living today and prices are not getting any lower. You will
see that one day. Remember the circle.
Try showing them you understand the actions they take are not
always because they hate you and do not want you to have any fun.
I know it is hard for you to realize, but they were once teenagers
also and they have been there, done that, long before you. They
know the traps you can fall into. They know the hazards of going
certain places and running around with certain crowds. They know
about peer pressure but, admittedly, it wasn't as bad several
years back. Nonetheless, they know that certain "so called"
friends can talk you into doing things you wouldn't do if you
were not with those certain people.
You will marry one day and have children of your own and, remember,
what goes around, comes around. If you want your children to respect
you and to listen when you tell them something, then you must
have that same consideration for your parents and you must learn
what family and responsibility are all about because if you do
not, you will be unable to teach it to your children because you
will not know how to teach them and they will treat you the same
way you treat your parents. The circle is endless. It repeats
itself over and over.