Teenagers

The title should give some indication of the temperature of our house right now. The teen years were some of the hardest in raising our daughter and now the same can be said of our son. They are both great people, very talented and very intelligent. The teen years are hard on them and also hard on their parents. The teens are working to determine where they fit, how to be independent yet they are not allowed complete independence, figuring out what they want to be when they grow up, etc. The parents are working at learning how to let go of some things, while making sure the absolutes are still in place. The "letting go" process is new with each child! I do not believe it matters if you have done it once or ten times, the difficulty is the same.

As much as we love our children, I have to remind myself that they are only on loan for a time period. God has something else in mind for them and their lives, and it may be very different from my version (and in fact, normally is!). I also have to remember that God loves them so much more than I do, and He knows what is absolutely best for them (and for me). I have a responsibility to God and our children to help them grow and become the person God has for them to be, but the final choice is their own. As I am somewhat of "Control Freak", this letting go is very difficult but knowing they are in God's hands and His love is comforting. I guess most of all - I just want to keep them little for just a little while longer!

I love you both more than you can ever know!