Rewards

I believe what the Bible says about God giving us rewards in heaven, but I also think he gives us a few here on earth too. This weekend was one long reward. My oldest son visited us and he brought the beautiful young woman he is dating. It was so rewarding to see him treat her with so much respect and gentlemanly manners. He opened doors for her, made sure she was comfortable - not too hot or cold, had enough to eat and drink, etc. That was a huge reward for me to see, especially since I wasn't part of his daily life from about 13 yrs old and beyond.
My husband also felt deeply rewarded. After about 10 years of estrangement between them, my son actually sought out his opinion on some difficult issues about step-families and non-biological parent relationships. It's been an eye-opener for my son to understand more about the tightrope a step-dad walks with step-sons, and hard decisions that were made and enforced in the past. My son has a new respect for my husband, and this past weekend they really bonded. My son ended the weekend by leaving my husband a Father's Day card. It will probably be framed some day! Right now, it's on the fireplace mantle in our living room. That was quite a reward for my husband. It was a very special weekend that neither of us will forget. I am grateful to God for allowing such a special weekend in our lives. It's good to know some of the parenting seeds we sowed fell on good soil !!