Self Respect

The Ideas in the Heads of Parents Will Rule Their Worlds

"There is no greater joy nor greater reward than to make a fundamental difference in someone's life!"

Sister Mary Rose McGready

A few days ago I was with my grandkids having dinner at a local restaurant. There was a family sitting near us with a father, mother and three children, who looked to be around ages 8,10, and 12 or 13. Their children were exceptionally well behaved and the family seemed to be very happy as they ate their dinner while laughing and talking.
As we got up to leave, that father got my attention and he said, "Your name is Mac Bledsoe isn’t it?"

"Why yes," I replied, "How did you know that?" I asked.

"Well, I was in the Idaho State Penitentiary when you came there to speak about five years ago!" the man replied.

That took me by surprise and all I could say was something like, "Wow!"

Then the man really shocked me when he said, "The ideas in your head rule your world, right?"

He then proceeded to surprise me with his next few statements. He said, "While I was in the prison down in Idaho, I went through the Parenting with Dignity curriculum 5 times over three years. Every time I went through the course I learned something new but the main thing that I learned is that the ideas in my head will rule my world and that nobody can put an idea in my head without my permission!"

He continued, "I am now choosing good ideas to store in my head. Because of that I am now a faithful and reliable husband to my wife here." His wife blushed at this comment but the tears in her eyes led me to believe that this was an honest statement.

"I am a dedicated father to my three children here. I am straight and sober, I have a job, I am supporting my family, and I am a very happy family man!" he continued to my obvious amazement and joy!

Self-Respect

Then that father shocked me even further with when he asked, "Do you ever see that big son of yours? If you do, will you tell him thank you for me? He was with you that day down at the Pen and he said something to me that I have never forgotten. It might be the most powerful idea that I now allow to rule my world every day… he said ‘respect yourself… if you do not respect yourself, how can you expect other to do so?’ I have that written on the wall at home and I use it to make almost every decision that I make!"

Man, was that a gratifying encounter to find someone, just by chance, who had used our curriculum as a tool to turn around his life! Could you use the curriculum that way?

What are the ideas that you have chosen to rule your world and to offer to your children to rule their world? Pick them carefully and do not wait, because it could be too late.