Every day is new territory.
I’m fast approaching the days of having a high schooler and a middle schooler. That also means that in six weeks both daughters will be in the church youth group and officially out of the children’s programs.
Questions plague me often. Am I doing this right? Am I expecting too much or not enough? Am I letting go at the right pace or still being too overprotective, cultivating independence or stunting their personal responsibility?
Learning to parent through this new stage comes slowly for me, but I’m hopeful there’s progress. I’m seeing the value of keeping my mouth shut at times, of letting them learn a few lessons through their own life experiences. I’m trying to listen more, empathize, hold back from judging a situation until I’ve heard the whole story, not offering an opinion unless I’m asked for one.
I’m no longer parenting little girls; they’re clearly on their way to becoming young women. Two things I need more than ever these days are wisdom and grace.
I need wisdom from God’s Word to know how to parent and wisdom from those who’ve walked this road ahead of me and can share their insights. They understand the current challenges and can offer me much-needed encouragement. Making time to seek this wisdom needs to be a priority, to study my Bible, to pray claiming James 1:5, and trust that God will grant the wisdom I lack.
I need grace for all those times I mess up, yet see God work in the lives of my children in spite of me. Grace pulls me to my knees, seeking what I don’t deserve and praising Him for the blessings I can see and those I trust Him for. Sometimes I feel that grace at the end of the day when all I can remember are my failures, yet the handwritten card left on my pillow by one of our girls sweetly tells me that I’m a great mom.
These precious daughters are His gifts, created for His glory, entrusted to my husband and I to prepare and send forth as lights in His world. How thankful I am that He knows the way to lead us through this journey together, enriching our relationships with Him and with each other as we pass these new milestones.
Nikki says
April 20, 2015 at 9:04 pmI can only imagine how hard this stage is, and yet how rewarding, as you walk the fine line between your authority over your girls as a parent and giving them more responsibility. I'm thankful that I get to watch you do it first! 😉
CE Watson says
April 21, 2015 at 12:55 amTracey,I need the same wisdom and grace in my season of life, too! Thank you for sharing your wisdom! Chris
Sues says
April 21, 2015 at 3:26 amI'm thankful for the wisdom I gain from YOU doing this first! 😀
Tracey Brewer says
April 21, 2015 at 1:06 pmYou're very kind! I do hope and pray for wisdom as my girls grow and will be thrilled to pass along anything I learn that would be helpful! 😉