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The Blessing

Ernest Hemingway told a story about a father who, having become estranged from his son, reached the point of desperation in trying to reconcile with the wayward boy. Finally, he went to the newspaper office in Madrid and took out an ad that read: "Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper office tomorrow at noon. All is forgiven. I love you, your Father."
The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office, 800 "Pacos" showed up!

This past Father's Day Sunday, I shared a message on "The Father's Blessing". I taught on four elements of THE BLESSING, taken from Gary Smalley's book by the same title.

Unconditional love and approval that comes from a healthy relationship with parents; this best describes what the "Blessing" is all about...Here are the ingredients of the Blessing for you- the message in it's entirety can be found at www.life623.com Check it out today and share it with a friend!

Biblical truths on how to instill self-worth and emotional well being into others based on four essential elements-

1 Meaningful Touch- Almost every time in scripture a blessing is bestowed in Hebrew culture, it involved touching- the laying on of hands, a kiss, an embrace- something that conveys acceptance and love. In Mark 10, Jesus called for little children, laid his hands on them and "blessed them". Consider Isaac when he gave the blessing to Jacob in Genesis 27:22,26 "Jacob went near his father, who touched him..."Come here my son, and kiss me."

2. Spoken Message of Affection & Love.- Words that communicate acceptance and love need to be spoken over and over again, even when children stumble and fall! Too often, parents are quick to criticize and remind children of their mistakes: "You're lazy...you're fat..."Dummy, why did you spill the milk?" How much more meaningful are words of encouragement and hope? "You're worth something...You're a good boy(or girl)...I'm glad you're in my family".

3. To Attribute High Value and Esteem.- In verse 28 of Genesis 27, Isaac continues the blessing- "May God give you of Heaven's dew and Earth's richness- an abundance of grain and new wine." He is saying ,"You're special, and God will give you the best He has to give."
We must teach high value and build positive self esteem with our actions, too. Often, taking the time to `be with your child' speaks volumes. Put down the paper, turn off the TV, listen, and communicate value!

4. Picture a Glorious Future- Verse 29, "May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed." This father was raising the sights of his son to a bright future!

According to Proverbs 22:6 "Training up a child in the way he should go means they will not depart form the training as they grow older. We're not only to help our children spiritually, but also to find their niche, and discover who they really are! They need to know why God made them special!

A girl named Sandra was raised in an adobe house with no electricity or running water in rural New Mexico. The nearest hospital was 200 miles away in El Paso. She was home schooled because of the long distance to the nearest school house. But her parents made sure she read and was exposed to outside influences. Her fondest memories of her family are the times when they went on vacation to visit state capitols. Visiting every capitol west of the Mississippi, they would study the history of each state and climb the stairs of each dome.

When Sandra graduated from high school, she was accepted into Stanford University, where she graduated with honors. Today, Sandra Day O'Connor is the first woman to be seated in the Supreme Court of the United States. All because her parents helped her discover her God given talent and she was encouraged to follow her dreams and reach her potential in life.

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