Each of my three kids shares the same middle name Li, which is the Chinese word for strength.
Strength is a quality that is often associated with courage and power. Our hope is that each of our children, in their own unique way, will be strong people. We want them to have a solid sense of who they are, and be able to face the world with resiliency. We hope that they will use their strength to serve and love others. We hope they will have inner strength that flows out as integrity, enthusiasm, and perseverance.
“Use your strong voice,” we often remind our 2-year old daughter. When our 6-year old son is afraid to do something, we talk to him about choosing to be courageous. As I look into the eyes of our 3-month old baby, I bless her soul to embody the strength and beauty encapsulated by her name. At night before bedtime, we ask God for strength in areas of weakness. This usually translates into, “God, help me treat my sister with more kindness” or “Please heal my body.”
Sometimes I observe my kids, and wonder at the mystery of how these little people are being formed and shaped. On one hand, I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. As their parent, what I say and do with them has the power to influence so much of who they are. I have endless hopes and dreams for my children. Yet on the other hand, they will also be molded by other people and events that I have no capacity to control. So I hold loosely to my hopes, and simply try my best to sew seeds of love, kindness, and strength into them.
The dance of parenthood and human formation is a beautiful, curious thing.
Strength is a quality that is often associated with courage and power. Our hope is that each of our children, in their own unique way, will be strong people. We want them to have a solid sense of who they are, and be able to face the world with resiliency. We hope that they will use their strength to serve and love others. We hope they will have inner strength that flows out as integrity, enthusiasm, and perseverance.
“Use your strong voice,” we often remind our 2-year old daughter. When our 6-year old son is afraid to do something, we talk to him about choosing to be courageous. As I look into the eyes of our 3-month old baby, I bless her soul to embody the strength and beauty encapsulated by her name. At night before bedtime, we ask God for strength in areas of weakness. This usually translates into, “God, help me treat my sister with more kindness” or “Please heal my body.”
Sometimes I observe my kids, and wonder at the mystery of how these little people are being formed and shaped. On one hand, I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. As their parent, what I say and do with them has the power to influence so much of who they are. I have endless hopes and dreams for my children. Yet on the other hand, they will also be molded by other people and events that I have no capacity to control. So I hold loosely to my hopes, and simply try my best to sew seeds of love, kindness, and strength into them.
The dance of parenthood and human formation is a beautiful, curious thing.
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