THE BEATITUDES

Beatitudes For Parents

One man says he had a great speech for parents. It was called, "How to Raise Your Children." He went on speaking tours in the Midwestern United States and was paid a high honorarium for the talk. "This guy will wow you," people said.

Then they had their first child. His majestic speech lost its punch at 2:00 AM with the baby in full cry. But he kept trying. He renamed his new, modified speech "Some Suggestions for Parents" and charged bravely on.

They had two more children. The speech changed again. And again. Now it's called, "Feeble Hints for Fellow Strugglers" and he begins with the question: "Does anyone here have a few words of wisdom?"

Parents through the ages can identify. "Could someone, please, just give me the final answers to parenting?" we ask. "ALL of them? Could someone please tell me how to respond and what to do and what to say and when to say it and do it and tell me now?"

But, of course, we ask the impossible.

Maybe this will help. I have saved it for years, and I'm convinced it was written by one who has been there.... It is not the final answer to parenting, but cherish it as a dose of wisdom worth re-reading as often as possible.

Beatitudes For Parents by Marion E. Kinneman (1895-1985) - (used by permission).

• Blessed are those parents who make their peace with spilled milk and with mud, for of such is the kingdom of childhood.
  
  
• Blessed is the parent who engages not in the comparison of his child with others, for precious unto each is the rhythm of his own growth.
  
  
• Blessed are the fathers and mothers who have learned laughter, for it is the music of the child's world.
  
  
• Blessed and wise are those parents who understand the goodness of time, for they make it not a sword that kills growth but a shield to protect.
  
  
• Blessed and mature are they who without anger can say "no," for comforting to the child is the security of firm decisions.
  
  
• Blessed is the gift of consistency, for it is heart's-ease in childhood.
  
  
• Blessed are they who accept the awkwardness of growth, for they are aware of the choice between marred furnishings and damaged personalities.
  
  
• Blessed are the teachable, for knowledge brings understanding, and understanding brings love.
  
  
• Blessed are the men and women who in the midst of the unpromising mundane, give love, for they bestow the greatest of all gifts to each other, to their children, and -- in an ever-widening circle -- to their fellow men.

Blessed are those who read these words... but more blessed will be they who follow them!

Faith Versus Reason

How well do you know your high school chemistry? Do you recall Pascal's Law? It describes the effect of applying pressure on a liquid in a closed container. Changes in pressure in a confined liquid will be distributed equally throughout the fluid. For example, a thin bottle will break when a cork is pushed down far enough. This principle is used today in hydraulics for presses, elevators, jacks, vacuum pumps and air compressors.

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), an amazing French philosopher, is known today for his work in math, chemistry and religion. His father tried to educate him in ancient languages. However, at age 12, Blaise had discovered geometry and at 16 wrote "The Geometry of Conics," which is now lost. He also invented the calculating machine and the theory of probability, used in card games.

In his mid-thirties, Pascal became interested in religion. He wrote:: "Within each one of us there is a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill." Later, he wrote another book, "An Apology for the Christian Religion." In it he maintained that perfect knowledge arrived through Christian revelation. Pascal believed that faith is a sounder guide than reason; he wrote: "Reason can go only so far, but faith in God has no limits." Thus, reason hits a wall but faith opens a window, allowing fresh air and sunshine to infiltrate.

Pascal understood that man has a dilemma. His conscious mind tells him he is impure against a perfect Creator and he tries to reason it out. Man has supine indifference, lust, pride, selfishness, an alcoholic problem, or not feeling self-fulfilled, self-actualized. He plays mindless games to understand and rationalize his dilemma but he finally realizes that his impurity cheats him out of being in harmony with God, creating a vacuum. Pascal admitted that this God-shaped vacuum was created within each of us that only He can fill. No wide amount of reasoning could eradicate it - only faith in God can supplant it.

Blaise Pascal's scientific mind has affected the world even to this day. Yet he pointed to Jesus Christ, who can fill our vacuum, our being, in order that we may have the final assurance that our lives may have order - not chaos, full and not empty, pressurized, not a vacuum. Yes, God understands our make-up, our chemistry and yearns to have a relationship with you.

A suggested prayer:
"God, I ask You to come into my life today, and fill this thin flask that I am. Give this outer and inner shell of mine strength, comfort and the assurance that I am in harmony with You. Forgive me for being impure against a perfect God. Take control of my life so that I can live for You. I realize that reasoning has it's limits but faith in God has no limits. I thank You for supplying an answer to my feeble attempts in understanding myself. Amen!"