Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Chicago bound
Headed to chicago for a last minute trip. So excited to spend time with my youngest sister and see my parents! It looks like great weather ahead (much nicer then the day we spent there in July!). I am hoping to put our toes in the sand let brynn do a little lake swimming. And a long run along lake michigan is calling my name. Pictures to follow later!
Parenting Pressure
The other day (in one of our many recent long car trips) the John Mayer song "daughters" came on. I remember finding so much meaning in it just as a college kid, and now listening as a parent...wow. It was one of those moments that I was just so struck with the responsibility of being a parent. It really does affect another persons ENTIRE life journey. Whoever wrote this song must have been impacted by a broken girl, wanting to probably wring the neck of her parents, but instead just wrote a song. Is that what you picture? It just reminds me that what I am doing with Brynn is something eternal, not just about whether she will do well in school or behave in a grocery store. But what Trey and I are doing are going to possibly affect her future marriage, or possible children. When I step back and look at the whole picture, I'm not going to lie, it is scary.
Working in the mental health field, I have conversations with adults on a regular basis whose struggles and hardships can derive back to issues of parents. Gosh. Talk about pressure. I am a parent. When they are talking about the things they remember about childhood (good and bad) I am making mental notes not to do that in my home. It is overwhelming. It is one of those things that I already find myself putting off at times, 'ill teach her that tomorrow', 'we will do that more often when she is older', etc etc. But time is of the eseence. I know she is only 10 months, but I don't want to look back in 15 years and wish we would have started things earlier. The point of this is, I see how easy it can be to think how your decision in the moment will not possibly have any impact on anyone but yourself......but it does, or it might.
Lately I have been thinking about certain people I know and how even before their child is born, decisions are being made that will affect them. Already cheating on their spouse or making work a top (and only) priority. Trust me, I am fully aware that I am NO where near a perfect parent. I pray that the decisions I am making are ones that will help mold and shape her into the person that Jesus wants her to be. I pray that my mistakes are covered by grace and that she is not throwing herself into others, chasing after the wrong things in life. I pray that she is able to rest in knowing that her identity comes from God, that she is confident and comfortable in that. The list goes on, it's a scary world. But we have a big God, a gracious God. I pray for Trey and I, that this list of prayers will continue every day, that we will be reminded of the great responsibility we have in raising this precious daughter of ours.
Working in the mental health field, I have conversations with adults on a regular basis whose struggles and hardships can derive back to issues of parents. Gosh. Talk about pressure. I am a parent. When they are talking about the things they remember about childhood (good and bad) I am making mental notes not to do that in my home. It is overwhelming. It is one of those things that I already find myself putting off at times, 'ill teach her that tomorrow', 'we will do that more often when she is older', etc etc. But time is of the eseence. I know she is only 10 months, but I don't want to look back in 15 years and wish we would have started things earlier. The point of this is, I see how easy it can be to think how your decision in the moment will not possibly have any impact on anyone but yourself......but it does, or it might.
Lately I have been thinking about certain people I know and how even before their child is born, decisions are being made that will affect them. Already cheating on their spouse or making work a top (and only) priority. Trust me, I am fully aware that I am NO where near a perfect parent. I pray that the decisions I am making are ones that will help mold and shape her into the person that Jesus wants her to be. I pray that my mistakes are covered by grace and that she is not throwing herself into others, chasing after the wrong things in life. I pray that she is able to rest in knowing that her identity comes from God, that she is confident and comfortable in that. The list goes on, it's a scary world. But we have a big God, a gracious God. I pray for Trey and I, that this list of prayers will continue every day, that we will be reminded of the great responsibility we have in raising this precious daughter of ours.
I know a girl
She puts the color inside of my world
But she's just like a maze
Where all of the walls all continually change
And I've done all I can
To stand on her steps with my heart in my hands
Now I'm starting to see
Maybe it's got nothing to do with me
Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too
Oh, you see that skin?
It's the same she's been standing in
Since the day she saw him walking away
Now she's left
Cleaning up the mess he made
So fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too
Boys, you can break
You'll find out how much they can take
Boys will be strong
And boys soldier on
But boys would be gone without the warmth from
A womans good, good heart
On behalf of every man
Looking out for every girl
You are the god and the weight of her world
So fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too
She puts the color inside of my world
But she's just like a maze
Where all of the walls all continually change
And I've done all I can
To stand on her steps with my heart in my hands
Now I'm starting to see
Maybe it's got nothing to do with me
Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too
Oh, you see that skin?
It's the same she's been standing in
Since the day she saw him walking away
Now she's left
Cleaning up the mess he made
So fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too
Boys, you can break
You'll find out how much they can take
Boys will be strong
And boys soldier on
But boys would be gone without the warmth from
A womans good, good heart
On behalf of every man
Looking out for every girl
You are the god and the weight of her world
So fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too
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