It Takes a Village

Ecclesiastes 4:12 -- "A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

My Cake Tent - before the fire

Travel the world over and I think this truth is pretty much the same anywhere your plane hits the runway: every bride remembers her wedding day. I can remember mine like it was yesterday, though it will have been sixteen years ago come this August.

It HAD to have been THE hottest day of the year, and down here in Florida, that's sayin' something. But we still had a wonderful turn out on the Saint Johns River, the sun was bright, the lake produced small little waves that lapped against the bulk-head, and the rains held off until after the service. It was gorgeous, even when the "cake tent" [that I'd spent hours creating by hand at four o'clock that morning] went up in flames while I was putting on my gown. One of the citronella candles used to ward of mosquitoes was placed a little too close to the sheer folds of draping fabric - all it took was a sturdy little breeze that sneaked in off the lake -- and bingo .... pink and white inferno. Thankfully, the cake had not been placed on the table inside the thing yet and most of the presents had been removed from the flames before any real damage was done. What an exciting beginning, huh?

Me with The League of Extraordinary Prayer Warriors

After the amazing service, the exchange of vows - written and officiated by my Dad - it was time to take a few photos. My brother as photographer, set up one picture that I'll cherish always and never forget the posing for it. The shot was taken of a special group of Super Heroes. Six incredible people, while not donned in spandex and fluttering capes, were granted by the grace of God, the super human stamina, compassion, totally unconditional love, and extraordinary patience needed to encourage me through my child hood. And, I have to admit - through some pretty rough growing pains [not MY pains mind you, but the pains endured by THEM as I grew up]. At times, the journey that was my youth could only be described as a rough one that left these beautiful people exhausted and frustrated,  but they never failed to nurture with a wonderful and generous heart for yours truly. This league of extraordinary people - I have dubbed, my six parents.  [From left: Charlie and Bette Hawkins - fellow missionaries to the Philippines, Me in the middle, My Mom and Dad, and Sherry and Larry Ayers - life-long friends and fellow Kentuckians.] The photo is precious to me and I'm forever grateful my brother thought to take it.

I could not help but think of them as I read the verse in Ecclesiastes 4 today. A person [or parent] alone can be attacked and defeated. This could not be more true when it comes to the raising of our young. Whether the little tykes be raised on the mission field as I was, or home-grown in the back yard of the country in which they were born - it really DOES take a village. Moms and Dads out there have enough to deal with just being a couple dedicated to Christ - but chuck in a couple of rug-rats, and the spiritual journey can be even MORE arduous.

It's wonderful that God provides blue prints in His Word. One set of parents alone might, indeed, struggle in the battle for spiritual victory where their kids are concerned.  But two sets of parents can stand back-to-back .... three? Even better! Three sets of amazing, God-fearing parents braided together in dedication, service, passion, and devotion form a cord that is not easily broken. [Trust me when I say that in the raising if THIS particular child, there were moments when these six super heroes needed all the strong cord they could get ;) ]

a wedding card rescued from the tent flames

Prayer warriors - that's what they are. Parents that hold down the fort, share the love  of Jesus Christ and instill the grace of God in their children - are super hero prayer warriors. I share my parental journey with a few people I trust and cherish just as my parents did [all six of them] in my youth - as they set a loving and sturdy example of a strongly braided cord. ....and as they continue to do in the lives of their grandchildren. It really DOES take a village.



And I could NOT be more grateful for these six - this league of extraordinary prayer warriors.