One of the best things a father can do is teach his son the way he should go, but a greater father knows that this an impossible task without God’s intervention and help.
On Saturday morning, January 17,2004, Papa (Edric’s father), emailed this prayer to Edric. Since then Edric has kept the print out of this email as a reminder of how he should live his life.
Here is the prayer General Douglas McArthur wrote to his son…(He was a homeschooler, too!)
Prayer for A Son
Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishes will not take that place of deeds; a son who will know Thee–and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the weakness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”
