You know that song we sang as kids that goes "Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone. Dare to have a purpose firm, dare to make it known." This is exactly how I've been feeling lately with parenting. The issues and times of standing up for what's right hasn't been for these big, huge reasons or even for really tough stuff but it's hard to stand up at times for the simple things too.
Our third born has grown up so much since her strong will toddler stage but recently it seems to be on the rise and for me to guide that and instruct her in a good way is hard! It's easy for me to just get frustrated and wish the problem away instead of facing it head on. It seems she is always begging for something and if we say no to one thing, it's always the next thing that she wants. It's like she not grateful at all. When her time on electronics is over, and I ask her to do a house chore, complaints come out of her mouth. It's bad attitudes that I'm trying to help correct here but some days it gets tiring and is difficult!
I know that being a mom is a job that requires much patience and love and so with praying for an extra amount of these the past few days, I'm relying on God for help! It's on these kind of days that I am ready for school to start but then I'm reminded that it's not anyone else's job to raise and train up our children. That's Mike and I's job! We are humbled and try our best!
Daring to be a Daniel was a life lesson learned just yesterday again!!! Hadassah and I were out and I had to decide on what was true and the right thing to do. Life doesn't always feel good when we stand up for the right thing but we both drove away with a lesson learned! Our day we hoped was going to be fun and get to spend some time at a café but instead it was a time of driving on the road wiping some tears and talking through emotions. Parenting teenagers isn't always easy and there's no book written that has all the right answers or problems solved except for the Bible! The Bible gives true guidance but sometimes we need to put the puzzle together to make sense of all life's problems and worries.
Because of standing up like Daniel did, it opened up an opportunity for Hadassah and I drive and talk. Hadassah shared some of her emotions of how when she's home, I ask her to help around the house. Living with six people isn't a joy ride for anyone around our home and we have everyone helping out here and there with the work. I'm the type of person that would rather do it all myself than teach our children how to do it. But I know that at the end of the day, that's not how I need to be. At the moment, it's quicker and easier to just do the job than to have patience and show them how to cook or clean or weed eat or pull the weeds. So for me, it's a chore to walk beside our children while they do their chores! Am I making any sense? I sat and listened as Hadassah shared how she feels at times and then she sat and listened to my side of the story. I know there is treasure in hearing the hearts of teenagers and so I tried to take in her side. But, I also said that she can't go through life living off of her parents money and spend all of her time else at work or hanging out with friends or shopping ... because when then do we spend time as a family? Or work side by side? Or just relax on the living floor playing games?
Hadassah does a really, really good job at helping me when I ask her to help and she does a good job at work and what she does. I was reminded that I need to show her and tell her more often that I do appreciate the things she does around here!!! I need to tell her that I love it when she's home and in the kitchen with me.
Yesterday ended up being a day of reconnecting and sharing our thoughts and heart! We ended up going for her school physical, school supplies and stopping at Plato's Closet instead of trying for her driving license. We got extra hours of driving recorded because that was the real reason for our day out. Hadassah needs more driving hours before taking her driving license test and this was a hard fact for her to except!!! And for me! I'm ready for her to start driving on her own so that she can come and go to all her volleyball practises and games and drive to school and come home from youth group without one of us picking her up!!! I still want to go to her games and drive with her but she is ready for the independent driving. But the fact is, she still needs to have more hours of driving and so she will need to wait a few more weeks before taking that driving test!
Meanwhile, we will drive, drive, drive!!! It will give us more time together in the car rehearsing life. She needs her hours of practice and it will all be good practice until she is ready to drive on her own.
I dare you today to be a Daniel!!! Pray and stand up for what is right. There will be more moments in my life when I will need to stand for truth.
If anyone has any tips on getting in all those 65 hours of driving time quickly, please let me know!!! :) Meanwhile, you may be seeing us driving the whole country side to get these hours of driving completed!
On a positive note … we did get things crossed off on our "to do list" together and it was good for us to hear each other out!!!
"Help me dear Lord to be a parent that always honors you!!!"
