Parenting Winter

Let this be the thing.  I have prayed that one sentence more since my kids have become teenagers than in my entire life before then.

For every poor choice being made I pray it. “Lord let this be the thing”, and God knows just what I mean, let this be the thing that opens their eyes and gives them wisdom to think beyond a moment.  For every disrespectful word spoken in anger I pray it. “Lord let this be the thing” the time where he or she realizes just how hurtful words can be.  Many times when I need to have a word with one of the kids, I pray something similar “Lord, let this be the time”. The time they will understand that I don’t want to keep them from good things, I don’t want to shelter them so that they never experience the world, and I am not intentionally antagonizing to make their life more difficult.  I only want the best for each one and some times (most times) our ideas of how to achieve that differ.  I tend to think forward, wondering if the action is worth the consequence or even the potential consequence. The kids, however, do not. Their hindsight isn’t even 20/20 yet.

 Recently a dear sister in Christ shared a memory from when her own daughters were teenagers.  She told me that once while having dinner with HER then teenage daughter, she looked over at her and said “I think I’m going to like you when you grow up”.  Even as I laughed, I felt a great relief and surge of hope because I happen to know her daughter and she is a fantastic person whose love of the Lord shines through in all that she does. Parenting teens seems to be the winter of child rearing, although everything may appear bleak, I have confidence that come spring some of those seeds underneath the cold, harsh conditions are going to sprout and eventually flourish. Praise God!