Friday From the Heart: Teenagers

These three. It has been a week of heart work in  my house. I won't go into details because it is their stories, but God has made each kid and each heart to feel and to function differently. That is my parenting challenge and really for me, it is my great joy.

While sickness is going through the house this week I have been able to have a lot more discussions with the kids about what is going on in their lives. I have also been able to work on some conflict resolution among them too.

We have talked about the important lesson of flexibility and understanding when our own plans have to be altered because of others in the family. We have touched on the importance of family members being on the same "team" even when we are out and about. We have also been reminded that when you go into places where you feel you are alone or the only one standing up for what is right, you take God with you every single time. He is available and you can talk to Him in each and every moment of stress or struggle if you choose to.

We have laughed, yelled, gotten teary (well, maybe just me), and we have learned a bit about anger management and loving each other. I have said it before, there is a certain joy and excitement the days our children are born but for me it just keeps getting better as they become people who think and act in their own unique ways. When tucking Zachary in last night he asked "Mom, I need your help." Right away I was worried that he too might have an important life problem to solve. So I asked him what he needed (hoping I had the answer) "Well, I am not sure that I am ready for my spelling test tomorrow". Deep breath and smile...I can handle that! So we got the list and went through it before we turned the lights out. Whew! That was an easy one.

It is good to have the practice of "peopling" (as Dawn calls it) right in our living room, our kitchen, our bathroom or the van as it pulls out of the garage before we go out and interact with the rest of the world. God does hear from me often about these three and my request is that they will be ready and have all they need to grow into the adults that God wants them to be, doing what He has called them to do. I can really stress about that if I want but I much prefer the times when I see a glimpse of adulthood in their words and actions. I cherish that and am thankful every day that I get to experience their lives with a front row seat!