I was speaking with my mom yesterday and she was sharing news about a death notice which she read in the newspaper. The notice referred to someone who was my age and the name was familiar to her. It seems, it is likely this person had been the child of the neighbour next door when my mom and dad moved into the new subdivision not long after they were married. This family only stayed a few years and moved on.
The conversation then involved the neighbour who then moved into the house. It is interesting, neither of us could immediately remember the name of the single woman who lived there for a number of years, but my mom was the first to identify, Mrs Gilbert. Mrs Gilbert was a cancer survivor back in the 1950’s. One of my earliest childhood memories is connected to this lady. There was an apple tree in her back yard and in those days there were very few fences between the homes. I was part of a scouting team that was involved in an incursion to raid that tree of its treasure. The mission was compromised when my mom discovered the treasure in our possession.
I learned a lesson when I was very young that crime does not pay and stealing has consequences. There was no question about accountability and responsibility for my actions. The blame game would not be tolerated. My first remembered meeting with Mrs. Gilbert was when I had to knock on her door and confess what I had done. I am thankful for the actions of my parents in this situation, because it was a lesson that has stayed with me through my life. It was also a foundation for recognition that there are principles that matter in our life and we benefit when we live by those principles.
Mrs Gilbert became a family friend for many years after that event. Eventually work took her away from the community and out of our lives, but not forgotten after all these years. Little decisions which allow us to align our lives with God’s Word so that they build lasting foundational principles are important. Do your children and grandchildren a favour and seek to take every opportunity to instill in them the importance, choices matter in our life. You may not see the results immediately, but the influence will never completely go away. Be thankful if you have someone in your past who provided such an opportunity for you. Check your history and learn the benefits of the foundational principles of your life!