Little Britches

This was actually a very uplifting and funny book to read. We discussed it for Book Club tonight at my house. Everyone who read it really enjoyed it - which surprised some. It is actually written for younger audiences - and I fully plan to have my children read it soon, but there are a lot of moral lessons and just good thoughts in it. Basically it is the story (non-fiction) of a young boy and his father and the lessons that his father teaches him. I wish that I could discipline in a manner like his. Here are some of my favorite quotes. (Mind you, this is a 9 year old boy that he is talking to.)

"Son, there is no question but what the thing you have done today deserves severe punishment. You might have killed yourself or the horse, but much worse than that, you have injured your own character. A man's character is like his house. If he tears boards off his house and burns them to keep himself warm and comfortable, his house soon becomes a ruin. If he tells lies to be able to do the things he shouldn't do but wants to, his character will soon become a ruin. A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth."

"There are only two kinds of men in this world: Honest men and dishonest men. There are black men and white men and yellow men and red men, but nothing counts except whether they're honest men or dishonest men.
Some men work almost entirely with their brains; some almost entirely with their hands; though most of us have to use both. But we all fall into one of the two classes - honest and dishonest.
Any man who says that the world owes him a living is dishonest. The same God that made you and me made this earth. And He planned it so that it would yield every single thing that the people on it need. But he was careful to plan it so that it would only yield up its wealth in exchange for the labor of man. Any man who tried to share in that wealth without contributing the work of his brain or his hands is dishonest."

"You know, a man's life is a lot like a boat. If he keeps his sail set right it doesn't make too much difference which way the wind blows or which way the current flows. If he knows where he wants to go and keeps his sail trimmed carefully he'll come into the right port. But if he forgets to watch his sail till the current catches him broadside he's pretty apt to smash up on the rocks."




So - there are a ton more, but you get the idea! I have decided that I am going to try to use more of this in my day to day interactions with people (especially my children). I think that using metaphors or parables have been effective tools to teach others throughout time. I am also going to try to look for the deeper lesson of life that can be taught to my children instead of just using rash (and sometimes heated) discipline. We'll see how it goes....

Did I ever tell you the story about the insurmountable mountain that had yet to be conquered? (Hint: It was made of dirty laundry!) =)