Side by Side

My parents did two things really, really well. My mother took me to church.
She made sure I was there nearly every time the doors were open. She prayed
with me. She loved me. She read me character building stories in the morning
before school, and, she took me to the youth events. I can not tell you
where I would be had she not done that. The pull of the party lifestyle was
certainly present. My mother taking me to church kept me out of such a
lifestyle. I can only imagine what hurts I would have perpetuated on myself
and others had I not been forced to go to church every week.

My dad taught me how to work. That seems to me to be an unusual concept
these days: a son having to work for essentially for the benefit of the
family alone. My brother, dad and I worked side by side for many years.
Taught me a lot about perseverance. Taugh me how do tackle big projects. How
to use my head and my hands.