Do the right thing, be kind, and have fun

I am one of those lucky few who had great parents. Actually, I still have my Dad.  Mom is in heaven, having passed away last year.

When I was growing up, and any of the four kids in the family was leaving the house, Dad would say, "Do the right thing," and Mom would say, "Be kind,"or "Have fun!"

This is one of those childhood things I have chosen to repeat with my own kids, as often as I remember. I think it's worth passing on. The even greater thing about these departing words is that my parents really lived them.

It was so important to Dad that we did the right thing, not the easy thing, or the thing that served us best, but the best and right thing to do. He modeled this always, and still does. I think he learned it from his father and mother. I could cite so many examples of my dad doing the right thing, it could be a book!

Kindness was a virtue my Mother lived, day after day throughout her life. She would repeat something her mother had said often to her as a child: "It doesn't cost anything to be kind."

And she brought so much fun into our lives, that wishing us a "Have fun!" came naturally to her. She was the one who planned the vacations, booked the hotels, and chose the restaurants. She made sure we went to the beach every summer, though there was no beach nearby.  She bought the toys and pinwheels and bouncy balls and baked the birthday cakes from scratch.  It was Mom who decided that we would each get our birthday off of school and  get to chose a favorite home-cooked or restaurant meal (our choice). She always made sure there were fun things to do when it was raining, mostly coloring contests when we were smaller. Because we were 4 different ages, and she wouldn't hurt any of our feelings, we would ALL always "win" the prize for the best picture. She even bought us pet turtles when we were "snowed in" during the winter of 1967. She was a fun person. I miss her.

What other things can I pass on to my children that I received from my parents? I try to think of all their good advice and wisdom and I try to remember to tell my kids before they're grown and on their own.

The greatest advice I could think of from them would be to trust the Lord and accept His free offer of salvation to be saved. This is the most important decision you can make in your life. More important than what job to pursue or whom to marry. This one has eternal consequences and cannot be re-done once you pass from death through to eternity. "Only Christ matters," says my dad over and over. And he's right.  This earth will pass away, and all that is in it will be destroyed.  All except human souls.  Those live on forever, with God or without  Him. He has left that choice up to us. So I will try, in my feeble ways, to communicate that to my three kids: that only Christ matters, and that to become His child is the most rewarding experience this life has to offer.

Thanks, Mom and Dad!