Nothing in this world could have prepared me for the extreme joy and desperate heartache of having teenagers. It is like riding a roller coaster of emotions and I am the passenger. God is good to give me moments of joy and times when I feel that things are going well. Last night, we had an amazing time together just hanging out, watching TV and talking. I went to sleep praising Him for the blessing of my beautiful daughter.
This morning was a different story. After several attempts to remain positive, I found myself giving in to anger. She just wore me down with her sullenness, anger and lack of cooperation. Tears began to flow after I dropped her off (the slamming of the door was the final straw). How is it possible that a teenager can bring a grown woman to the point of tears? My goodness.
Praise God that his mercies are new every morning. In Lamentations 3:22 it says:
22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
The Lord reminds me that his love for me never changes. His grace and mercy are sufficient for me. I will wake in the morning with a new chance to be a source of grace in the lives of my children. Tomorrow is a new day.
Oh man do I understand what you are saying. In our house it is bedtimes and cleaning up after your selves that are the main things that cause the struggle. You would think picking up your toys that you got out would not be a hard thing. I guess that is just too much to ask for my kids. Somedays I just can't seem to get through to them. I don't understand why they just can't get it done so they can avoid all the stuff that comes when they play around and refuse to finish the one thing they are asked. It is not like they have a ton of chores. They have 3 rooms that they all play in. So between the 3 of them I expect those 3 rooms to stay mostly clean. Clothes in basket that is in their rooms. Toys put away if not being played with. That is it. Not too much to ask. Bed time is even worse some nights. I pray and somedays I cry. Somedays it is all I can do not to explode. I am trying. That is all I can do. There is not a day that goes by that I don't see something I could have done better. Something that I should have said a different way. So I will pray for you and your beautiful young ladies. I will pray that you and I both remember what it is like to be their age and how hard it seems to try to become your own person, while you are still someone's child. That can be a hard balance sometimes. I think we as parents struggle to remember our own struggles at their age. I know I have to stop and remind myself when I am so frustrated that I can't see straight. I will also pray that our kids understand sooner rather that later a little of where we as parents are coming from.
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