Delightful Children

Delightful Children

Discipline your children; you’ll be glad you did –

they’ll turn out delightful to live with.

Proverbs 29:17

Your children change so much over the years.  They grow, they mature, they make mistakes, they exhibit good judgment and then bad judgment, they experience heartbreak, they find love, they get their hearts broken, and then mended again.  Not one of my three girls lives her life the way I might do it if I were in their shoes, but I’m not them, they are not me, and they are succeeding at living beyond my wildest dreams.  Each in her own way is truly delightful – a joy for their mother to love and know.

There were times when the girls were growing up that I was too hard on them.  At other times, I was not hard enough.  I was not a perfect parent – they were not perfect children.  The goal of a family is not perfection, however – it is growth, support, and unconditional love.  Whether they are here with me or off living life on their own, I treasure every moment I have with them. 

During this pandemic, I have discovered how very hard it is when my interaction with my kids is severely curtailed.  No visits to New York, no visits to D.C., and very little face-to-face interaction with the ones who live here in town.  We try for weekly phone calls and the occasional Zoom gathering, but it is difficult to mesh schedules even with all three girls working from home.    The coming holiday season will be very different this year, but we are determined to make it a joyful, connected, delightful time.

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Happy the home when God is there,

And love fills every breast.

When one their wish, and one their prayer,

And one their heavenly rest.

The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 445