"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't
hurt!" ~Lucy Van Pelt
Piensa en el MEDIO AMBIENTE antes the imprimir material de este o cualquier otra Red Electrónica.
God be with them...
Watch 5 minutes of news on any given day now and you'll be left shaking your head for the next hour. What a world we're living in! Most alarming of all are the segments covering those horrific and sad stories involving kids. It's scary. It's chills-down-the-back scary. Too many teens wrapped up in something or other and making wrong choices. I can tell you that we stand at our front door every morning to see both our teenagers off to school, and as they drive away, we let out a resigned sigh and mumble, "God be with them." I mean, what else can we do? Once we think we've covered all the bases, what else is there to do other than to leave them in God's hands?
We try to stay on top of things, you know. Particularly who and what surrounds them. It is hard sometimes though to keep track of my children's friends, for example. Who's who in their wide circle of peeps, know what I mean? But it's so important that we do exactly that -- keep track. Because peer pressure, both positive and negative, is ever so present in their lives. We ourselves dealt with it as teens, and even now as well adjusted grownups, we still sometimes feel the desire to measure up to our peers. Imagine what it's like for our kids these days. From experience, we know the lasting effects these influences can have. That's why I think it is crucial that we not only instill in them the basics of right and wrong, but that we help them build their self-confidence to better equip them to make wise choices in these situations of push-and-pull between the values we teach them and those from outside forces. Because once they leave the protective shield of our homes, it seems they are fair game. It is a mistake to see and understand what goes on in the world of teens now a days and assume that our own children won't be touched. No family is immune.
So I talk to my kids all the time about the importance of surrounding themselves with good people. No matter the color, religion, gender, etc., just good people. Getting involved with a good peer group can play a principal role in the shaping of their personality, and lead them to make the right choices in life. We grownups already know that making the right choices is what it's all about. But helping our children understand that every choice they make today will create circumstances, and that these will affect the choices that will be available to them in the future, is by no means an easy task. But at their age most of them are far from being able to read people, and are just finding out what a tangled web us humans weave. I have already seen both of mine struggle with friendships that have gone sour. I've explained to them that people are "like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." That sometimes some of these events may leave them thinking that it ought to be illegal to practice friendship without a license. But that these experiences, while introducing them to jealousy, envy, and judgment, for instance, can also teach them about compassion, trust, and loyalty. And through these trial and error phases, they will undoubtedly, hopefully, connect with a lot of good souls.
Which reminds me of a scripture passage that talks about friendship. Jesus is preaching in a very crowded place. Four men bring their paralyzed friend to see Jesus, but they can't get to Him because of the crowd, so they open a hole in the roof and lower their friend to Jesus. Jesus is moved by their faith and forgives the man's sins and heals him. Okay, who wouldn't want to have friends like those? The type of friend who leads you to the Lord; the type of friend who recognizes your paralysis -- your anxieties, regrets, fears, sorrows, mistakes -- who, even when you're content to stay in your own little rut, wants to help you and see you healed. This is the kind of friend I try to persuade my kids to be. In the hopes that in leading by example they can attract the positive I know this world does have to offer them. May God be with them, and all your kids.
P.S.: I want to give thanks to those friends who have recognized my paralysis and have consistently led me to the Lord. I am forever grateful. And I pray that He grants me the opportunity to be that kind of friend for another.
Life is a theater...invite your audience carefully. Not everyone is holy
enough and healthy enough to have a FRONT ROW seat in our lives. There are
some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's
amazing what you can accomplish when you let go, or at least minimize your
time with draining, negative, incompatible, "not going anywhere"
relationships/friendships/fellowships! Observe the relationships around
you. Pay attention to: which ones lift and which ones lean? Which ones
encourage and which ones discourage? Which ones always have "drama" or
don't really understand, know and appreciate you and the gift that lies
within you? The more you seek God and the things of God, the more you seek
quality; the more that you seek not just the hand of God but the face of
God, the more you seek things honorable; the more you seek growth, peace of
mind, love and truth around you, the easier it will become for you to decide
who gets to sit in the FRONT ROW and who should be moved to the balcony of
your life. You cannot change the people around you... but you can change
the people you are around! Ask God for wisdom and discernment and choose
wisely the people who sit in the FRONT ROW of your life!
~ Unknown
with no shore to bound it.
And if I plunge into it, I carry
with me all the possessions
I have. You know, Lord,
what these possessions are—
the souls you have seen
fit to link with mine.
~St. Thérèse of Lisieux
"A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope."
~ Unknown
"A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses."
~ Proverbs 27:19
"Friends are friends forever, if the Lord is the Lord of them."
~ Michael W Smith
So true, I say that I can drill it in them like a sergeant but once they walk out the door it’s up to them.
I just hope I lay the right foundation & good or bad that will never crumble.
Also, instill the fear of God & Mom – “think about what you’re about to do and think..would I approve” if the answer is no, I hope they follow it.
Worked pretty well for me!
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Excellent. Coudn't have said it better myself!
One note: my entire life is a drama...
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Not to worry my friend...no amount of your drama can ever deter me from being your friend. : )
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Beautiful. Perfect. Right on point.
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How poignant and pertinent! Well spoken, Connie. In some ways, these are very sad times. I feel fortunate, and sometimes scared out of my mind! Lots and lots of love to you, Connie.
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Connie:
You have my greatest empathy regarding the raising of your children. Parenthood is not for sissies and there is no manual written for guidance. I don't think a day goes by when I don't observe parents with their children and wonder how they do it. I try to put myself in their place and realize that the task is monumental and I wonder if I would have the stamina to survive such an ordeal. When all is said and done, I come to the conclusion that there are two elements that remain constant throughout each generation and are in fact the precious instruments/tools that must be used: they are "Unconditional Love" and "Faith." I believe these two forces are the most powerful elements on earth and if one possesses them, then mountains can be moved, attitudes can be changed, and peace and forgiveness will prevail. In the end, these children will take away the foundation that is carefully built by the parents and hopefully use it for the good. This is really all that can be done in the early years - - the rest is up to the child - - there is no guarantee in this life. It appears to me that your own children will walk away with a wealth of knowledge and faith as they pursue adulthood and take their place in society. I commend you on a job well done, my friend!
Joyce
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Joyce beautifully put. I couldn't agree with you more -- Unconditional Love and Faith - it boils down to that. Then a lot of finger crossing and praying. : )
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We have always been on the same proverbial "page," my friend! I also agree with the finger crossing and praying - - we can only do what we can do - - the rest is in the hands of God! As always, it is lovely talking to you! Hang in there and never give up the fight for the good!
Joyce
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Very well said my friend. Yes, "God be with them."
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One powerful message after another...so inspiring and meaningful and blessed. It re-establishes my confidence in our younger generation and strengthens my belief in God's will. Thank you, all!
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