Everyone needs a cheer squad!
This week is the fair, and it can be grueling. Up early every morning to feed and water the animals still at home, then off to the fair to clean pens, stalls, and make sure the animals there have both feed and water. All that happens before they even think about showing their animals. As the week drags on, so do nerves, tempers, and self-confidence. Not everyone can be in first place, so disappointment is not uncommon during this week. That is where the cheering squad comes in, to remind them that they are doing a good job, and are supposed to be having fun doing it, while they are making new friends, and new experiences.
If you have read my blogs the past week or two you have read about a young lady who lost her life in a car accident after taking care of her 4H pigs. Because that young lady would have been a 10 year member in both the Swine and Horse and Pony projects, emotions have run high, many speeches and dedications have been made in the honor of the young 4-H member. It also has brought home what a blessing it is for each child to be able to participate in each event. Making the experience and the camaraderie worth more than the ribbons. The family members, like us grandmothers, aunts, uncles, moms and dads, are there to keep things in perspective, like what is important in their life, and how important they are in ours. Sometimes telling a child how proud you are of them means more than all the ribbons put together, especially when it is said with sincerity and love.
All this week I plan on being the best bleacher bum cheerleader I can be. FYI the bleachers are not any softer than they were last year! But I would not miss seeing my grandchildren perform, doing their best, and be good sportsmen while doing it.
As parents we need to remind our children before they participate in an event that doing a good job is its own reward. Teaching them to edify each other, enjoy each other’s triumphs and comfort each other through their disappointments, is the best thing we can do for them. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. We need to teach our children empathy not envy.
We as authors, often use our works to reflect our own lives, including the highs and the lows. Reading between the lines lets you get a peek of how important affirmation is to people. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Be someone who makes other people feel good about themselves, edifying them.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
I Thessalonians 5:11
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Hebrews 10:12
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Ecclesiastes4:9-12
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Romans 15:1-11
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:13
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Romans 14:19