Greetings Prayer Warriors,
I was gifted with the opportunity to reconnect with an old
friend recently. We were both “new”
parents together, navigating uncharted territory. Back then, I was simultaneously amused and
bewildered as I would see her then young child constantly test the
boundaries. She would push her mother,
my friend, to the limits, testing, testing, testing. I was in awe of how well my friend held the
boundaries, especially when I would imagine how I might cave in under similar
circumstances.
Fast forward, 16-18 years.
My friend confides that her daughter continued to test the waters
through adolescence and into young
adulthood. What a terror her daughter
might have been today if she hadn’t been such a hard-nosed parent. While her daughter was in college, she got a
call one Sunday morning. “Mom, can we
talk? Thank you for being so hard on me.” Apparently, the night before, a circle of
friends randomly started talking about their upbringing. As if a veil had been lifted, my friend’s
daughter instantly saw the link between how her friends were raised and how
they behaved today. The selfish one,
the spoiled one, the lazy one, the insensitive one, the generous one; it was
like a switch went off in her head and she saw a direct link between upbringing
and behavior. “Thank you, Mom.” And, as if on cue, my friend responded,
“Excuse me honey, I think we have a bad connection. Can you repeat that?”
Today, let us pray for parental fortitude, wisdom, and
perseverance. Then let us pray that all children eventually see the light, Your Light, shining through us.
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
Lord, give us the
courage to say no, when it is in the best interest of our children. Help us know when to hold the line, and when
to soften in compassion. When the
journey seems endless, may we feel your companionship and support. Lord,
carry us when we feel weak!
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have
become all things to all, to save at least some. 1 Corinthians
9:22
Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet
Help a friend. Pass it on.
