Half Way There
Have you ever felt like you were still 18? I mean, I couldn’t have graduated from high school more than 5 or 10 years ago, right? But every once in a while, I get jerked back into the reality that I am in fact an almost….. (deep breath) forty year old woman with 4 children! I tell people daily, yes indeed, I have 4 children, but often the reality doesn’t sink in totally for me!
Time Slow Down
One day several months ago, right after my oldest son’s 9th birthday it dawned on me! I am half way to having this one raised! That makes me want to cry in more ways than one. First, of course, is that I am not ready for him to be this grown! Granted, he is only in 3rd grade! Still these years are not slowing down! I really do want to enjoy them and I want for him to enjoy them also!
The second reason is because I feel like I might be failing him. There is no way that I have taught him half of what he needs to know! Now, don’t get me wrong, my son is a really great kid! He is polite, obeys well for the most part and is very eager to please me and his dad, but I know there is so much that he needs to know! There are so many things that I want to impress upon his little heart before he starts making the big decisions on his own.
(This picture is one of my all time favorite photos I have ever taken! My son was working to help us plant our garden. This was about 2 weeks before his twin brothers were born! And boy has life been busy since!)
Enjoying Those Sweet Parts of Life
Since this is my oldest child, I haven’t been thru this before. I don’t know from experience, but I feel like these next few years are likely to be chalked full of life lessons for all of us. That both scares and excites me!
I pray that I can be present enough to be able to listen when he needs to talk (even if it may take 30 minutes before we get to the nitty gritty of what he wants to say)! I want to be able to forget the dirty dishes for just a few minutes when he is willing to sit with me and talk! This can be such a struggle! But I believe the more that we choose our children over our tasks, the more we will see how important that time is for them-and for us.
Grace for Every Need
And I know that, as always, God is good! He gives us grace and helps us when we aren’t getting it just right! I know this is true because so much of the last 9 years is a blur! However I know He has held me, my husband and our 4 littles in his hand helping us all each step of the way! And although our family is far from perfect, it is wonderful, just how God intended!
Even doing our very best as parents, we fall short. But I believe that God sees our efforts and in His grace makes up the difference! Isn’t it a blessing to know we are being guided and held by our Heavenly Father while we are doing our best to lead our own children!
How have you seen God working in you life and your family as you seek Him to guide your parenting?
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