NO. 1165 -- MAMA PUT HER FOOT DOWN!

No. 1165

Jim Davidson...NEWSPAPER COLUMN

MAMA PUT HER FOOT DOWN!

Have you ever heard this comment about some woman, she is a “Proverbs 31 kind of woman.” Well, whether you know it or not, this is about as high a compliment as any woman could ever have.
Before moving on, let me pause here and say that I have the utmost respect and appreciation for the women and mothers of our country. In fact, it was the women who got our nation started on the road to great success back when the men were away fighting World War II. The women did the work, and have made tremendous contributions in so many other ways.
But back to my reference as to some woman being a “Proverbs 31 kind of woman”. Let me read just a few verses from Chapter 31 of the book of Proverbs and you will have the picture. Verse 10 says, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” Then verses 26 through 31: “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
“Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” The reason I share this is because of a discussion Janis and I had some time back. We were talking about our own mothers and how they were strict in so many ways, especially in the right ways.
I was telling her about a time when I was growing up and still in school, along about the 10th grade as I remember it. This was also about the time I got interested in girls. There was a girl in the small town where I grew up that did not have the best reputation, and somehow it worked around that I wanted to go see and spend some time with her. When my mother found out about it, she put her foot down. She said, “You are not going to her house and spend time with her.” And that ended the conversation, and to be sure, I did not go to her house.
At this point Janis told me about a time her high school-age son had a similar experience, with the same type girl. This girl was fairly new in their town and her son, not going to tell you which one, decided he was going to start dating her. Janis nipped it in the bud. She told him, “You call her back and tell her that you can’t go.” Now that is somewhat embarrassing, but that is the way it was because Janis had his best interests at heart and she put her foot down.
This brings me to an obvious point, and let me be quick to add -- my mother and Janis as well, are not perfect people, nor perfect parents, but they understood human nature and wanted what was best for their children. While this action may not have been the popular thing to do, they took action to keep their sons on the straight and narrow. My question is simply this: do we need more mothers today who will put their foot down? To be sure, a “Proverbs 31 kind of woman” is the kind that every mother wants her son to marry.
My mother is gone now, but quite often I look back to the days of my childhood. While I made many mistakes, they were not because my mother did not care for me and want the very best for me. My mother was the kind of mother who, when I needed it, made me cut my own switch. That lasted until I finally got old enough and fast enough to outrun her. If you are a parent or grandparent raising children today, when you need to, just put your foot down. They may hate you now but love you later.
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(Editor’s Note: THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY – Begin your day on a positive note – 365 days for $12. This will benefit the Bookcase for Every Child project. Go to www.apositivemomentwithjim.com to subscribe.)