Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Raising Cain

My folks raised at least one “Cain” in our family. Growing up, I was a boy with a handful of wild ideas dressed in a dirty T-shirt and jeans wearing PF Flyers, Blue Canvas Vans , Wallabee's or Work boots depending on what decade you might be talking about. I had always felt that there must be a God, but I had no understanding of his plans for me, how accessible He was or how He wished to have relationship with me. In many ways, which I will not explore here, and in this sense, I was a “Cain”.

Note: The subject of my own predetermination is a bit to lofty for discussion in this brief blog, but suffice to say, I made it into the family of God. Thanks to my dear Sister and a number of dear friends, that prayed regularly for my very soul.

I now enjoy the task of raising “Cain” as a father. You might say I am raising several “Cains” in differing states of “Cain”-dom. (I know that sounds strange, but hang in there). The raising Cain process is a bit like separating the wheat from the chaff. When raising “Cain”, the trick is really to raise the “Cain” OUT of that person. To this end, as a father and head of my household, I have committed myself to rear my children and make them more ABLE.

More able to: Know God, Love God, Listen to God, Follow God and Share God. To all you parents out there, I wish you the best of success in raising your own “Cain”