My Son - Jo Treinen

My Son

By Jo Treinen

My Friend Debbie

The doctor yelled out loud to all
A Boy! She has a Boy.
My eyes began to fill with tears
My heart was full of joy

I brought him home, I showed him off
I dressed him up real fine
He wasn't going to want for much
This handsome boy of mine

We bonded, we laughed, we cried, we played,
We both became best friends
The son that God has given me;
I'll love him till the end.

Four years past, we went through Hell,
We've always had each other
His father was abusive
And I didn't bring a brother

I gave my time to his new sis
He didn't like her, it's clear
He put her in a closet
Just to make her disappear

I filed for a divorce, months later
And now my son was sad
He didn't understand why Mom
Was going to kick out Dad

He started school and sis stayed home
You should have seen his face
I make him get upon the bus
He felt, he'd been replaced

I know that as a single mom
I needed to be tough
I tried to show I loved him
But I guess that's not enough

Trouble came and stole my Son
It ended him in jail
My heart is broken, full of pain
God, show me where I've failed

I cried and prayed to my Dear Lord
Please help me save my son
Just open up his eyes real wide
And show him what he's done

I had to break the strings of love
To make him understand
That I won't take the blame any more
My Son, it's in your hands

It's up to you to break those chains
it's in your power son
And God will help you all the way
Until the battle's won

With Love,
Mom

My Friend Debbie

Note from the author:

I want readers to know that not for one moment did I not love my son and when I say in the poem, that I had to break the strings of love, I'm not talking about abandoning my love for him but rather stopping my behavior of putting an emotional band-aid on his bad behavior. I learned that I had to give good praise, and love, as well as that dreaded thing called: discipline! Discipline is love.

"He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is (CAREFUL) to discipline him," Proverbs 13:24. (NIV)

This doesn't mean to beat them in your anger. Cool down, choose your words carefully, think about the necessary consequences and let your yes be yes and your no be no. I know I have made many mistakes as a mother, but God continues to show me His ways. The following scriptures have given me understanding.

"He who heeds discipline shows the way to life but whoever ignores correction leads others astray," Proverbs 10:17. (NIV)

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it," Hebrews 12:11. (NIV)

"Tough Love" is not being hard on your children, but it's all about being steadfast, unwavering and in control of our own emotions, as parents, and disciplining ourselves to do a better job of raising our precious gifts. To God be the Glory!

Blessings,
Jo Treinen