R-E-S-P-E-C-T

"If the traditional Rs (reading, writing, and arithmetic) are the basics that we want our children to master academically, then reverence, respect, and responsibility are the three Rs that our children need to master for the sake of their souls and the health of the world." ~Zoe Weil

I think of myself as a respectful person.  I try to teach my children respect.  I believe that the decline of society is directly related to the lack of respect that we show to those around us.

Why is this on my mind?

Today as I was driving home from town, I met a funeral procession.  I have heard that it is just a southern thing, but around here, cars pull over to the side of the road out of respect until the funeral procession has passed.  Today was no exception, and I pulled my van over to the side of the road.  As I sat there in my air conditioned van I used my time sitting on the side of the road to check my e-mails.  I glanced up into my mirror and saw that a gentleman had pulled over behind me, got out of his vehicle in 100 degree weather, removed his cap, and stood facing the procession with his hand over his heart.  His show of respect brought tears to my eyes and shame to my heart.

I may consider myself a respectful person, but obviously I have a long way to go.  I fear that I have fallen short of teaching my children the art of respect.  In my home I want to teach that people deserve respect not because of what they have or have not done, but simply because they are children of God and God has called us to love them.  For how can you truly love someone without respect?

Boot Laces

How do you know you are the parent of three little boys?
Monday morning Joe got up to get ready for work.  This was long before the sun came up so I was still in bed.  After he had his shower and got dressed, he sat down to put his work boots on.  All of a sudden I hear, "Denise, what happened to my laces?"
I got out of bed to see what he was talking about.  I found him sitting there with a dumbfounded look on his face, staring at boots without any laces at all.  Now these are tall work boots for a size sixteen foot, that is a lot of boot lace to be missing!
I had a flashback to the kids playing over the weekend with their trucks.  They were pretending that they were stuck in the mud and had to go get other trucks to "pull" them out.  I wondered where they had gotten all of the "tow rope" from.
I felt the laughter coming and tried really hard to hold it back, but it was no use.  Joe was looking at me like I had grown another head and then looking back at his boots in utter confusion.  When I explained what I thought had happened, he started laughing as well.  As I went to get his spare boots I heard him muttering, "I can't believe they stole my laces!"
So if you go to put your work boots on in the morning only to find that you no longer have laces, you just might be the parent of three little boys.