Point
your kids in the right direction– when they’re old they won’t be lost.
your kids in the right direction– when they’re old they won’t be lost.
The
Message Translation
Message Translation
by Carolyn Bridges
Doyou ever feel that people think you are just not good enough? No matter how
much you do for people, it never seems to be enough to please them. I found out a little late in life that it
doesn’t matter what you do for people, they will never be happy with you
because they are not happy with themselves.
The people that
make you feel that way the most are teenage children. It was so with my own children, and over the
years I have found that it is so with many families. This is not a scientific study, but a mere
observation that children, during the teen years, can cause a mother to feel
inadequate as a human being. In the
child’s eyes, Mom doesn’t have enough money.
She doesn’t love enough or she’s too loving. She doesn’t know anything or her thoughts are
stupid. What Mom does never seems to be
enough. What she gives never seems to be
enough. What she says never seems to be
right. It can seem that your very
existence is grotesque in their sight.
At one point in my life when my children were teen agers, I would wake
up in the morning and think, “Who am I going to disappoint today?” You see, I am not only a mother, but a
stepmother, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a sister-in-law, an aunt, and at that
time, an employee.
make you feel that way the most are teenage children. It was so with my own children, and over the
years I have found that it is so with many families. This is not a scientific study, but a mere
observation that children, during the teen years, can cause a mother to feel
inadequate as a human being. In the
child’s eyes, Mom doesn’t have enough money.
She doesn’t love enough or she’s too loving. She doesn’t know anything or her thoughts are
stupid. What Mom does never seems to be
enough. What she gives never seems to be
enough. What she says never seems to be
right. It can seem that your very
existence is grotesque in their sight.
At one point in my life when my children were teen agers, I would wake
up in the morning and think, “Who am I going to disappoint today?” You see, I am not only a mother, but a
stepmother, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a sister-in-law, an aunt, and at that
time, an employee.
At
a time when financial troubles were seriously affecting my home, it became very
difficult to attend to any other responsibility outside my home, but I had
other obligations that I had to attend to. So, in my children’s eyes, and it
the eyes of others (so it seemed) I was failing them. At my lowest point, I had let it get me down and
was getting depressed about it, until I realized that it is not God’s will for
me to take such care over these things.
a time when financial troubles were seriously affecting my home, it became very
difficult to attend to any other responsibility outside my home, but I had
other obligations that I had to attend to. So, in my children’s eyes, and it
the eyes of others (so it seemed) I was failing them. At my lowest point, I had let it get me down and
was getting depressed about it, until I realized that it is not God’s will for
me to take such care over these things.
I
looked in the word of God and saw that God loves me just the way I am. In His eyes, I am just fine. I did the best I could for all three of my
children. Not a one of them lacked love,
patience and kindness from me. All of
them received the word of God to set them up for a good life. In that, I rested. Once I realized that I am not the “end all”
and “be all” for my children, I was able to love them and others even more.
looked in the word of God and saw that God loves me just the way I am. In His eyes, I am just fine. I did the best I could for all three of my
children. Not a one of them lacked love,
patience and kindness from me. All of
them received the word of God to set them up for a good life. In that, I rested. Once I realized that I am not the “end all”
and “be all” for my children, I was able to love them and others even more.
My
point? Don’t even attempt to be what
your children think you should be. Be
all that God has called you to be. You
are a mother to them. And single
mom: You are not a father, nor will you
ever be. Be a mother. And by all means, you are not their God, so
stop trying to be. When they want
something that you can’t give them, direct them to the One who can provide it
for them – God, Who is more than enough is absolutely thrilled to meet their
needs.
point? Don’t even attempt to be what
your children think you should be. Be
all that God has called you to be. You
are a mother to them. And single
mom: You are not a father, nor will you
ever be. Be a mother. And by all means, you are not their God, so
stop trying to be. When they want
something that you can’t give them, direct them to the One who can provide it
for them – God, Who is more than enough is absolutely thrilled to meet their
needs.
The best thing
we can do for our children to prepare them for real life is to introduce them
to the Giver of Life – the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduce them to the Savior of the World,
the Lord Jesus Christ. Where under-age
children are concerned, we can teach them how to go to God for their
needs. Where adult children are
concerned, it is time for them to go to God themselves for their needs. The
same Jesus that loves you, loves them.
If you haven’t taught them, or didn’t know to teach them how to go to
God, then you can begin now. Whether
they listen is totally up to them.
we can do for our children to prepare them for real life is to introduce them
to the Giver of Life – the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Introduce them to the Savior of the World,
the Lord Jesus Christ. Where under-age
children are concerned, we can teach them how to go to God for their
needs. Where adult children are
concerned, it is time for them to go to God themselves for their needs. The
same Jesus that loves you, loves them.
If you haven’t taught them, or didn’t know to teach them how to go to
God, then you can begin now. Whether
they listen is totally up to them.
There
are times when we must explain to our children that life is not fair, neither
is it perfect. Life is not a scene from
their favorite movie. Prepare them for the storms that come by giving them the
gospel of Jesus Christ. And as a special
note to you, “You are all right when you let the Word of God direct your
steps.”
are times when we must explain to our children that life is not fair, neither
is it perfect. Life is not a scene from
their favorite movie. Prepare them for the storms that come by giving them the
gospel of Jesus Christ. And as a special
note to you, “You are all right when you let the Word of God direct your
steps.”
Children
will be children. That’s just it. Once they grow up they forget about how they
were toward you. They begin to deal with life’s issues on their own. Maybe they will call and ask for your advice,
maybe they won’t. That’s okay. Just be
there for them. That is why there is no
need to change who you are because of the expectation of your children. They will soon grow out of it and find out
that you were right all along!
will be children. That’s just it. Once they grow up they forget about how they
were toward you. They begin to deal with life’s issues on their own. Maybe they will call and ask for your advice,
maybe they won’t. That’s okay. Just be
there for them. That is why there is no
need to change who you are because of the expectation of your children. They will soon grow out of it and find out
that you were right all along!
(PS – Happy Mother’s Day! Pass this on to another mother and leave us your comments)