Building Character

A nugget from my journal February 1994

"This week I heard Chuck Swindoll's radio sermon and he challenged me that a parent's greatest goal for their child should be "greatness of character." I cried. I just spent lots of time and money getting the perfect birthday gifts for Nathan and Ryan and scheduling appointments for Kevin's portrait and cannot think of anything intentional I focused on about building character in them. Oh, God, may it not be too late to start teaching that course to them. I would like to use books, situations, stories and I am sure you want to use my example. Refine my character. Give me wisdom to make this more my focus in this new year. Gaylin"

At this point in my life I was working full-time, serving as a pastor's wife and the boys were 10, 7, and 3. Building character was happening everyday--not just in them, but also in me. Here is another quote I found scribbled on a prayer list:
"Circumstances may prevent you from building a fortune. But they have no power to prevent you from building character."

May we be witnesses to this fact by not letting the bad news all around us determine our joy, nor deter us from what is most important--pointing our children to a God who is bigger than any challenge we face in our economic climate; who knows our strengths and weaknesses; and who will continue to strengthen our character for whatever waits for us up ahead.