Child of Mine

Child of Mine was written at the request of our stake president, for a stake conference meeting. I came up with a lyric, but Diane pretty much thought it was lame-o. Nonetheless she began composing and had a pretty melody when, after more discussion, I rewrote the whole song! 

The ideas of this song are important for parents to hear. Parenting brings such joy and misery, and can be very discouraging at times. Nonetheless, we need to remember, that we are not alone in this task--our children are God's children first.

The chorus borrows heavily from the words of Orson F. Whitney, because I don't believe anyone could say it better: "You parents of the willful and the wayward! Don't give them up. Don't cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The Shepherd will find his sheep. They were His before they were yours--long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fullness of knowledge brings the fullness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can comprehend" ( Conference Report, April, 1929 p. 110).

The verses are inspired by a letter that I wrote to my son as he left on a mission, expressing my hopes for him and the inadequacies every parent feels: "Have I taught him all he needs to know?"; "Have I passed on to him, unwittingly, my imperfections?" 

This song has touched many hearers, and we hope it will continue to comfort and inspire parents, who have such an amazing charge to fulfill.