Painful Toes

It was just a normal conversation. I was waiting for my daughter and two women were talking right beside us.  And I was wearing flip-flops.

Lady #1: So, did you ever start fostering?

Lady #2: Well, no. We went through most of the training classes, but then we backed out.

Lady #1: Oh, really? I know it's a big commitment.

Lady #2: Well, they said they could pretty much guarantee that our dogs would be abused at some point through the process.  And you know, those dogs are just too sweet for that.  I just couldn't see putting them through that.

I had to turn my head to keep from making an ugly face. My first thoughts were, "Seriously?  She's more worried about her DOGS being abused than the children who are being removed from sometimes very abusive homes?  What kind of woman is this?"  

Immediately, I sent a text to a couple of my friends.  I just couldn't believe someone could be so selfish and cold-hearted.  

And then, He did it. 

He used this conversation to convict me. ME?  Me. 

My sweet friend texted me back, and simply said, "Wow. Although you know, it makes me wonder about the things I guard in my life."

Ummm....ouch. 

My head hurt. My heart hurt. My toes hurt.

Once again, God used words that weren't even intended for me to step on my toes. It was as if He was saying, "Ok. Yes, you noticed what was wrong with that woman's words. Now, what can you change in YOUR life to align your heart more with Mine?" 

You see, in my own self-righteous mind I heard the words of that woman, and I was incredulous. I couldn't believe that anyone could dare put their animals ahead of something so much more important. But, God...

But, God reminded me that there are many things that I do the exact same thing with.  

My time. My money. My home. My family.  My life.

Do you see the common word? My. Is any of this really mine?  How different would I look at everything that I hold dear if I changed that one word to truly reflect the ownership? 

God's time. God's money. God's home. God's family. God's life.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. ~ Galatians 2:20

Oh, that I would finally get sick and tired of living "my" life for me. I constantly put my own wants, and even the desires and wants of my family, above the greater things that He has called us to. Instead of guarding the things that I consider "mine", what if I saw them as ways to serve HIM, no matter what?  

My time would be more productive for the kingdom. My money would be better spent on things of worth rather than on frivolous things that will pass away.  My home would have an open door for those who need comfort and love.  My family would be more consumed with His plans rather than seeking their own happiness and goals.  My life would be seen as a way for Christ to live through me, nothing more and praise God, nothing less. 

He's still working on me.  And I know He's promised to continue to perfect me until the day of Christ Jesus. So, until then, I think I'll just keep flip-flops on.

That way I notice those painful toes.

The Gaping Hole

The tears stung in my eyes.  I didn't want to cry over such a silly thing, but I was about to.  I blinked.  I blinked again.  I tried to just get angry and yell.  But I couldn't.  It had been ripped apart, and there was nothing I could do.  There was no fixing it.  There was no way to repair it back to its original state.  I would have to remake what had been ripped apart. 

Our puppy, Max, had made a big mistake.  On Christmas morning, the kids excitedly stuck their hands down inside their stockings, and pulled out their tiny treasures.  One of these treasures was flavored lip balm.  Our youngest opened her lip balm, applied it to her chapped lips, and then placed it back in the toe of her stocking.  And then Max entered the picture.  At some point, he sniffed.  And he liked what he smelled.  And so he chewed. And he chewed.  And he chewed.  Until there was a gaping hole in the toe of the stocking. 

But these weren't just stockings that I could run out and buy duplicates of.  These were stockings that I had quilted and sewn together.  My dear friend and I had worked together for hours making stockings for our families.  It was a labor of love. 

Some mistakes are bigger than others.  Sometimes, we make a mistake and it's really easy to fix it.  A little bandage.  A quick apology.  A quick trip to the store.  And other times, we make a mistake, and it leaves a gaping hole.  A hole that is beyond repair.  The injured thing must be completely rebuilt. 

We've all done it.  We make a choice to do something, and we don't think about the consequences until it's too late.  Sometimes it's words that spew out of our mouths like venom.  Sometimes it's actions that tear relationships apart.  Sometimes it's something that seems so innocent, but yet it ruins our reputation forever.  And left behind, our mistakes are like gaping holes.  And they can't be repaired.  We have to rebuild.  The original will never be the same, because the original has been marred. 

In John 8:1-11, we are told of the story of a woman who was a sinner.  She had been caught in the act of adultery, and people in the town were about to stone her.  To death. I would say she made a pretty big mistake.  As I tell my children, "she didn't make a good choice."  But then Jesus stepped in.  And so many times we focus on the verse, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."  And that is a marvelous verse. I am so thankful that He said it.

But, we can't stop there.  We've got to look at the last verse of the passage.  Jesus told her, "Go. From now on sin no more."  You see, the woman's "mistake" had left a gaping hole.  Her reputation, her life, her everything was ruined.  She had been caught in one of the most hideous of sins.  At one point, she was an innocent little girl.  And then, she wasn't. 

She would have to rebuild. She would have to start fresh and new.  She would have to cut the fabric of her life, measure it, and stitch it together one small piece at a time. 

The ball was in her court.  She messed up.  He forgave.  And He commissioned her to go forward, and sin no more.  No turning back and gazing at the hole that her life once was.  No longing for the old junk that had messed her up. 

And that, my friends, is called grace.

I so desperately want my children to understand that it is way easier to keep something beautiful from the beginning than to have to rebuild it.  Yes, we all mess up. We make bad choices with our words, with our actions, with our attitudes, and with our reactions. So often those choices can leave something permanently damaged.  But then there is grace.  And there is the opportunity to rebuild.  And the chance to go forward and not make the same bad choices again. 

So, back to the stocking.  I held it. I searched for a way to repair it.  There was none. And so what did I do?  I tossed it the trash. And I marched downstairs to my fabric bin, and discovered a marvelous thing.  I had enough of the original fabric to replace it!  Yes, I would have to take the time to do it.  And yes, I would grumble about the dog with every stitch that I made.  But, I could rebuild.

If you're in a place where you're unsure if you can rebuild, trust me.  You can.  God's word is full of examples of rebuilding.  That's what the gospel is all about!  God takes our dirty, filthy, torn rags and trades them in.  He rebuilds our wardrobe into a beautiful robe that is fit only for kings and queens.  I would love to share with you how you can start this year fresh and new. 

And if you're in a better place than that, take heed.  One little word.  One little action.  One little sniff.  They can all leave a hole that can't be repaired.  It is much easier to keep something beautiful from the beginning. 

The tears are gone.  The stocking will be remade in February.  And next Christmas, we will have our matching stockings again, almost as if nothing happened.  But, I'll know.  That gaping hole could not be repaired.  It had to be remade. 



 ^"And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new." (Rev. 21:5)

Just One Brownie

Brownies.

It all started because of brownies.  My sweet, precious, dimple-faced 4-year old had been given a very yummy dinner of chicken noodle soup and homemade rolls.  And then was offered a brownie.  She, of course, took the brownie willingly, and ate it very quietly at the table.  As the adults sat around the table, I noticed her start reaching for another.  I gently told her “No”.  About 30 seconds later, I looked over, and she was not only reaching for another brownie, but she was sitting on TOP of the table, trying her hardest to get closer.  This continued for about 5 minutes until we decided to remove the temptation from her sight.  And we thought all was well.  Until it was almost time to leave our friend’s house. 

Chloe Beth came back into the dining room, carrying a brownie!  She had somehow managed to get one, and, with a grin on her face, she sat down at the table to eat it, as if we were going to let her.  We promptly took the brownie from her, and the meltdown happened.  For…a long, long time.  There was pouting.  There were tears.  There was the repeated cry of “Brownie!  Brownie!  Brownie!”  We literally carried her out of the house and loaded her in the car, and drove half of the way home before the crying stopped. 

And as I sat there, in amazement, thinking back over the evening, wondering what would make her break down in such a way over one little brownie, it struck me.  I do that kind of thing all the time!  I may not cry and throw a tantrum in classic 4-year old style, but I certainly can pout. 

Here’s what I’m talking about:  God has given me so, so very much.  And yet, I take what he has given me, I look at it, and I say, “I want MORE!  This is just not enough.”  It seems like the more I get, the more I want.  And I can’t help but wonder if it’s because I’m just not thankful enough for what I actually have.

I am convinced that one of the biggest challenges for me, and for most American Christians is contentment.  We want to have Christ, but we also want to have more of everything else.  We’re not satisfied with what He has given us.  We’re just not happy with that one brownie.  We’ve got to have another one…no matter what the cost. 

God has blessed me so much.  My husband is my very best friend, and acts as if he is the most privileged man in the world to be married to me, even though I know that’s so far from the truth.  My children bring me joy, make me laugh, and teach me new things every single day.  I have a church family that I can truly say is family, and has been since we pulled into the parking lot a little over 2 years ago.  I have parents that I cherish, and that truly talk the talk and walk the walk.  I have a warm home.  I have food in my cupboards.  I have a dependable car to drive.  I have a fun job.  I have opportunities to sing with kids at church every week.  I get to support my husband as he serves.   I could go on. And on.  And on.

But yet, I complain.  I want more.  I want a bigger house.  I want a newer car.  I want different food.  I want more shoes.  I want more money at the end of the month.  I want…more.    

WHY?  Why in the world do I think that one more brownie will make me happy?  Why do I pass by all of the good stuff that I’ve already got:  the chicken noodle soup, the homemade rolls, AND the first brownie….all because I want more?

You see, what Chloe Beth didn’t realize was that one more brownie may have made her sick.  She may have been throwing up all night long.  Or it may have made her wide awake, which would make her miss out on something really good…called SLEEP.  Or, it may have tasted really good, but it just would have filled her stomach so that there wasn’t room for something else that could have been BETTER for her. 

Thanksgiving really is all about contentment.  How in the world can we look at ALL that God has given to us and done for us, and say, “Thanks, God, but it’s really not enough.  I think I would like you to do more.”  Paul learned that lesson, when he wrote in Philippians,:

“I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” 

 

I pray that I would learn that lesson, as Paul did. 

Contentment is about accepting the “meal” that God has laid out on the table for us.  It’s about trusting that He knows what is best for us, and that His food will make us strong, healthy, and more like His Son.  It’s about knowing that He is the Master Chef of our Thanksgiving dinner, and we are to be content with what He has served. 

I pray that this Thanksgiving we will all be surrounded by the things that make us happy.  I hope we get to eat our favorite foods, are surrounded by loved ones, and have an amazing time making memories.  And I hope that we all will be satisfied.  And thankful.

With just one brownie. 

 

 

 

 

 

Silence is Not So Golden

Silence.  It's one of those things that can be the most wonderful thing in the world.  Or it can be the most not-wonderful thing in the world.  As a mom, silence can mean your kids are peacefully sleeping, or it can mean they are getting into something.  Or everything.  Following moments of silence, I have found permanent marker on carpet, baby powder dumped on bathroom floors, hair "washed" in milk, a little girl with marker "makeup", and even a little boy with painted toenails.  So often, we love the silence.  We long for the silence.  We dream about the silence. But, after the silence, we often find nothing but a mess. 

I was thinking the other day about how silence factors into our relationship with God.  I'm not talking about the times in life that God is silent.  I'm talking about the times that God finds us "silent".  I probably need to be clear:  There is rarely a day that I could ever be called silent.  I love to talk.  But, admittedly, there have been times that I have been silent with God.  There have been days that I have had a lot to say.  A lot of nothing.  A lot of something.  And I am really good at finding friends that will listen. I call when something wonderful happens.  I call when something terrible happens.  I call when I just need to vent some frustrations.  And I call when I just want to share a funny story.  And I love that my friends answer.  I love that I have dear friends in Christ that want to share my life with me.  But, unfortunately, there are days that God would probably say that I've been "silent".  And when I'm silent with God, there's sure to be a mess to clean up.

You see, when I don't turn to God first thing in the morning, I can make a real mess.  Sometimes those messes are easy to clean up, like the baby powder.  Other times, those messes can leave a permanent stain, just like the Sharpie on the carpet. 

I have been the one guilty of waking up, and going straight to the computer to see what might have happened in my friends' lives while I am sleeping. I have been the one guilty of checking the weather, the news, the email, all before I read the Bible.  I have been the one that scurries my kids and husband out the door to school, and then instead of taking a few moments to say "Good Morning" to God, I call my friend.  And the thought of that brings me to tears. 

I have...and you have...this amazing opportunity.  Every single day.  We get to approach the throne of the Most High God.  We get to share our burdens with Him.  And our joys.  And our love. And our lives.  But yet, so many times, I don't.  When something challenging comes up, I run to search Google.  I post on Facebook.  I call my friends.  Too often, God is the last one I turn to.  Maybe it's because I want an immediate answer.  Maybe it's because I don't think I'll like what He has to say.  Or maybe it's just because I am sinful girl who doesn't have my priorities in order. 

Two of my very favorite Bible verses are Hebrews 4:15-16.  "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  Does that thrill you the way it does me?  If not, you may want to re-read it.  I'm amazed every time.  We can approach God's throne....with confidence! Why in the world do we substitute everything else for His throne?  We get news of a sick loved one.  Approach the throne.  We get an unexpected financial blessing.  Approach the throne.  We need to plan our day.  Approach the throne.  Our kids won't stop fighting. Approach the throne.

I am really good at making messes.  When I cook, my kitchen looks like a war zone.  Why do I think that my life will look any different if I don't bathe everything...and I mean everything...in prayer?  Why do I think that if I don't search my heart to make sure that God is in the very center of every one of my desires that anything will work out right?  It's just plain foolish of me.  God wants us to approach Him. Daily.  He doesn't want us to be silent.  He wants to hear our voices cry out to Him.  He wants to hear our voices rejoice in Him.  And we can do all of that boldly.  With confidence.  Without hesitation. 

And that, my dear friends, is amazing. 

Beauty is as Beauty Does....

This past weekend, I saw the most beautiful woman.  And my children saw her.  And my husband saw her.  And my friends saw her.  She was not a super-model.  She was not on a TV show.  She was not a celebrity of any sorts.  You see, the world may not look at her and think that she is beautiful.  In fact, the world may just look right past her.  But, I pray that my family, especially my children, will not ignore the lesson that she taught us. 

My grandmother always said, "Beauty is as beauty does."  The older I get, the more truth I find in that statement.  Beauty does not act selfishly.  Beauty puts others ahead of herself.  Beauty does not constantly look for the bad in others.  Beauty finds good.  Beauty does not walk past the hurting.  Beauty sacrifices her time and energy to care. 

So, what exactly did we see this past weekend?  We saw a man who had a stroke almost a year ago.  We saw a man who used to be the life of the party who no longer can stand without assistance.  We saw a man who used to sing praises to His King every Sunday in choir who can no longer utter the words that he wants to say.  We saw a man who used to wrap his arms around his wife, who can no longer use his right arm at all.  And we saw a man who had a beautiful woman beside him. 

His wife greeted us at the door.  She graciously invited us in.  She hugged each of us, and marveled at how our children had grown.  We entered with butterflies in our stomachs, because we knew that he would not be the same.  He sat on the couch, and the tears flowed freely.  His tears of mourning the life that he knew.  His tears of frustration of not being able to verbally express himself.  And our tears started.  Tears of joy of seeing dear friends again.  Tears of anger, questioning why in the world this happened. 

And then the music started.  Victory in Jesus....Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)....10,000 Reasons....God of the Mountain....Glory in the Highest.  We sang when we could....between the tears.  And he sang with us.  He didn't form the words, but he was certainly praising His Lord, and humming the tunes. 

And as his tears flowed, the beauty became apparent.  She got out of her seat.  She went to another room, and returned with tissues.  And she sat on the arm of the sofa and wiped his tears.  She put her arm around him, and she comforted him.  She loved him the best that she could by caring for him, and just being there for him.  She wrote down songs that we sang that would encourage her, and her husband, when they were having a bad day. 

You see, though he was the victim of a horrible stroke, she was every bit as much the victim.  When his life changed, her's did, too.  She no longer has the freedom to go to the grocery store when she realizes she needs milk.  She no longer can get in the shower without making sure that he is settled and comfortable.  She no longer can be surrounded on Sunday mornings by the church family that loves her so much.  And she no longer can have normal conversations with her lifemate. 

But she is beautiful.  And I pray that my children, especially my daughters, saw it.  I pray that they saw the honor and love that comes from a wife who is fully-devoted to her Lord and to her husband.  I pray that they saw that bad times don't mean you can just walk out, or give up.  I pray that they saw that love is about more than emotions, or happiness.  I pray that they will remember as they grow up and think about getting married that they must make a committment "for better or worse." That "worse" may not be something as bad as a stroke.  It may just be an argument. Or a month full of arguments.  That "worse" may be that you don't feel like you can love him anymore.  But yet the beautiful bride....the beautiful woman that God has created...she stays.  And she serves.  And she loves. 

Beauty is as beauty does. May we choose to be beautiful by choosing to "do" beautiful. 

"A wife of noble character who can find?  She is worth far more than rubies.  Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.  She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." (Proverbs 31:10-12)

 

Who, Me?

So, it happened again.  I'm reading a Bible story that I've read probably 39 times.  And I'm really just kind of reading it because I'm trying to get my daily "assignment" done for my "Read Through the Bible in a Year" plan.  You know the drill.  In my mind, I'm just counting the number of verses to go before I can turn my light off and fall asleep. And then, BOOM!  Something jumps out at me.  And I see some words in a whole new light.  And I sit, amazed.  God's Word is living.  And active.  And sharper than any two-edged sword.

One of the primary areas in my life that has been lacking over the past several years is my witnessing attempts.  You see, as a minister's wife, it's really easy to get "comfortable".  It's really easy to look around and say, "Well, I'm really involved in the church.  My husband is crazy-busy.  I need to support him.  That's my ministry." And while yes, that's true, I've recently been convicted that that's not enough.  In all honesty, I think I was really using that as an excuse. 

When it comes to witnessing, I've typically taken the "lifestyle evangelism" road.  You know, the line we all pull out when we don't want to have any confrontations.  Don't get me wrong.  I believe that our first line of evangelism HAS to be lifestyle evangelism.  We have to be living what we're saying.  We have to be above reproach so that world doesn't sneer in our faces.  But it can't stop there.  We have to TALK.  And we have to share.  And we have to open ourselves up to the idea that someone might laugh at us.  Someone might get mad.  And someone might even get saved.  Someone might hear words that they have been longing to hear for 57 years: Someone loves them.  Someone cares for them.  Someone wants to have a relationship with them. 

So, back to the Bible story.  It's in Exodus, and God is basically commissioning Moses to go rescue His people from the land of Egypt.  God tells Moses what he is supposed to say and do.  But Moses was stuck.  He couldn't figure out why God wanted to use him.  He wasn't an eloquent speaker.  In his own words, he was "slow of speech and slow of tongue."  But the problem was, he wasn't just being humble.  He was actually questioning the words of the Lord.  God called him, and Moses said, "Who, me?" 

How many times do we do that?  God puts someone in our path, and we feel a gentle nudging.  "Talk to her, Amy.  Ask her if she knows Me.  Ask her if there's anything you can pray about for her."  And we say, "No."  We say, "I don't know what to say.  What if I mess up?  What if they get mad?  What if they make fun of me?"  And so we let the moment pass. But the problem is, it's more than just letting the moment pass.  We've actually been disobedient.  I shudder to think of how many times I have been disobedient.

Here is the cool thing, though.  Moses said, "Who, me?" And God said, "Yes, YOU!"  God didn't put up with his excuses, or his silly thoughts that he couldn't do what God asked him to do.  Instead, He told him, "Who has made man's mouth?  Or who has made him mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then, go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to say." (Exodus 4:11-12) And the other night, when I read that, God slapped me upside the head, and said, "Silly woman.  If I call you to do something, I will equip you, and I will be with you!"  Now, isn't that just the berries?!?  Isn't that amazing?  God calls us to be His witnesses.  He calls us to share HIM with the world.  And all of the worries, and anxieties, and excuses that we can come up with don't stand.  They're irrevelant, because the very God who made our mouths goes with us. 

I don't have to feel like I'm the most eloquent speaker in the world.  I don't have to have all of my words in just the right place.  God called me to be His witness when He saved me. And when He saved you, He called you to be His witness. We just need to trust in the One who calls us.  And know that He, even He, will be with our mouths and will teach us what we are to say. And that's stinkin' awesome.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Growing Pains

The school year has started.  Two weeks ago, I sent Caylie and Garrett off for their first day of school as a fourth grader and a first grader.  And I stood in wonder as I watched them walk into their classrooms.  Where in the world has the time gone?  Wasn't it just yesterday that I found out I was expecting them?  I walked back to our apartment, (which is right across the parking lot from their new school), and sat looking at Chloe Beth for a few minutes, wondering what I would do when she started school. 

I'll never forget Caylie's first day of Kindergarten.  I walked her down the infinitely long hall.  Garrett, two at the time, was with us.  We walked into the classroom, found her desk, and greeted the teacher.  I made sure she was settled, and then started out the door.  Feeling the tears starting, and knowing full-well that I didn't want her to see me cry, I hurried to the door.  I scooped Garrett up, and started the long walk back to the car.  And the tears started.  But, folks, they weren't just tears.  I was doing the kind of crying that makes your face all deformed.  And I could barely see where I was going.  Ok, I was almost sobbing.  How would she open her Capri Sun?  Would she know where the bathroom was?  To put it in terms my Southerners will understand, I was a mess.  As we continued our walk, sweet Garrett patted me on the back, and in his little two-year old voice said, "It okay, Momma.  Sissy be right back." 

The day continued.  And continued.  And continued.  I really think it was one of the longest days in the history of the world.  But, when I went back to pick her up, she was smiling and happy.  She had a great day, and couldn't wait to go back!

Fast forward three years, and it was Garrett's turn.  I really thought I would be better off with him.  You know, I was, shall we say, experienced.  But, I cried the whole way home.  I cried most of the morning. But, at the end of the day, just like Caylie, he loved it. 

There are so many emotions that parenting brings with it, and the struggle to let go as our kids grow up is certainly one of them.  Even though our oldest is only 9, I can already feel it starting.  But there is an important lesson that I believe we need to grasp hold of while our kids are young, to make is easier on them, and ourselves, as they get older.  And that lesson is this:  Our most important job, as parents, is to help our children become disciples of Christ.  Period. 

Right about now, a lot of you are saying, "Well, duh, Amy.  We already know that."  And to that, I say, "Great!"  But, sometimes I need to be reminded about what that entails.  Or maybe it's better to say what that does not entail.  That does not always entail them becoming a musician or a football player or whatever dream you have for them just because you want them to.  That does not always entail your children living within a 2-mile radius of you forever.  That does not always entail them becoming a doctor or a lawyer.  That does not entail them always getting straight A's.  (I can almost hear some of you gasping!)  That does not always even entail them going to college.  (And now some of you may even just stop reading....) 

But friends, if we're honest, we know this.  Being a disciple of Christ means we're completely and positively sold out for Christ.  We're following Him with EVERY aspect of our lives.  And that means we're letting Him lead us.  So, if we're training our children to be disiples of Christ, then we must look at their lives differently than the world does.  The world tells our kids over and over again of the things that they "need".  We know that there is only One thing that they need. 

So, as Christian parents, how should we pray?  First, I am going to pray that my children will all come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as not only their Savior, but as their Lord.  I want them to run after Him with everything they've got.  And I want them to live for Him alone.  I don't want them to be "people pleasers", but to focus on the one Person that matters.  Second, I am going to start praying for God to remove my desires for my children and replace them with His desires.  Thirdly, I am going to pray that God will use them.  What an honor for us as parents to know that God could use our tiny little vessels that we have worked on and poured our lives into for years and years!  And God can use them in any career that He chooses from teaching to factory work to missionary work to yard work.  He can even take it further and use them in the local church, on mission trips, and in local evangelism and outreach. 

Parenting is hard.  Seeing your kids grow up is even harder.  It seems like the time goes by so fast.  But, as I keep reminding myself, that's what is supposed to happen. Our kids are given to us as babies.  And our job is to help them grow.  And teach them God's ways.  And then they grow up.  Yes, we're always their parents.  But, the older they get, the more our roles change.  (At least, in some areas, I hope.  I don't want to have to be reminding Garrett to wash his hands when he's 35!)  Growing pains hurt.  But good comes from them.


"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."