Have you ever looked around your house on a given evening or morning and asked this question— “Where did these kids come from?”---only to be shaken back into the seemingly harsh reality that they belong to YOU? I’m laughing right now because in the hassle and sometimes frustration of parenthood, I have thought this on many occasions. When kids don’t behave right; when you’re on the phone and they are having an unannounced live concert of sorts in your family room; when your child is frantic over the uniform they can’t find or the project they just remembered is due in less than 12 hours; when you burn dinner because you were refereeing a sibling quarrel—-all these are great opportunities to ask this question. Getting kids from infancy, through childhood, through high school and the next stages after that can sometimes be a daunting job! The joys are many. The memories are precious. The snuggles, hugs and kisses are heart-melting. But, then there are those days, and sometimes seasons, where all that we have in us is challenged to meet the demands of parenthood. Can I ask you to step back a minute? Can I encourage you to enjoy the ride? Learn from the struggles and the times you didn’t parent well. Slow down enough to take in all that is going on. Children are a challenge, but what a blessing as well! Enjoy wearing your parent-of-a-toddler hat and your parent-of–a-teen hat. It will pass so very quickly. These ARE your kids! You are responsible for them! You are the closest thing they have to an expression of the love of God in their life. Parent well. Represent Jesus well. Love hard; enjoy the ride; and don’t miss anything if you can help it! Be persistent and find a wholehearted devotion to being the best parent you can be. Hard days will come, but stay the course. Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you are a Christ-follower and you are doing all you can to parent as Christ has taught us in His Word, then relax. Your kids are getting more than you think they are. AND—on the other hand, If you know you could do better as a parent—then get to it! TODAY! This season will quickly pass and it is time to live with no regrets—-with and “ALL IN” to parenting mindset! After all—-those kids—--they are yours! Take the reigns and parent well! Raise kids that other people love to be around because……parenting matters! AND—in all of this, know that God will grace you and enable you in all the areas of your parenting skills where you are flawed if you will only ask Him and allow Him access to your life! These kids are God's blessing to your life. He trusted you with them and He won't leave you in the process of growing them to adulthood! Hold on!
