Dear Daughters,
Raising the three of you is certainly a roller-coaster ride! Our goal this school year has been to have mornings with no tears. It is sad to say, but we have only made it a few times! We girls love a good cry and although I, as your Mom, understand that, it makes for some tough days when you are all crying at the same time!
Your Dad has always said when the three of you are teenagers he is moving next door to the neighbor's basement. He thinks we will need the extra bathroom space, but I think he's just scared!
The Bible has a lot to say about emotions. In Galatians 5:22-23 we learn the kinds of emotions that honor God. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." As hard as it is to practice these, they reflect a life that is pleasing to God; a life controlled by the Spirit and not the flesh.
As girls, you will blame a lot of bad behavior on your emotions. While there are times this cannot be helped, there are also times it can be controlled. I can tell you that you will save yourself a lot of heartache if you learn to control your emotions, and not let them control you. Better yet, give God control, and enjoy the peace that comes from living a life submitted totally to Him.
I Love You,
Mom
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sisters
Dear Daughters,
I am so thankful that God gave me girls to raise. Many years ago I thought I wanted a house full of boys, but the Lord knew what he was doing by giving me the three of you.
One of the things I like the most about having girls is the "sister" relationship. Since I grew up with a sister, I know how much fun it is to share things, be silly, and of course do what sisters do best-argue! And since you girls are all closer in age than I am with my sister, I suspect you will argue even more. It is part of growing and up and to be expected, but I want you to remember one thing. Your sisters will be your very best friends in this world.
My best advice to you regarding your sisters is to love them unconditionally. Stand up for them, fight for them, and defend them. P, you recently told me that people did not understand when you said your sister was your best friend. I am so proud of you for recognizing this truth in your relationship with E. And E, you have been such a wonderful big sister to S. She looks up to you and treasures the times that you play dolls together and spend time "pretending."
When you do argue, let it be short-lived and ask forgiveness quickly. Many times we do not realize how harmful our words can be, or how deeply we can hurt feelings. Remember that your sisters will be there when no one else will. Treasure each other and lean on each other. You will need each other, even if you don't realize it now.
And lastly, enjoy the gift of being "girly" with your sisters. Laugh, giggle and play together. Share each other's hurts and cry together if you need to. Don't be stingy with your "stuff." Let each other hang out in your rooms. Share your clothes, toys, books and games and be generous whenever you have the chance. If you do these things, your "sister" bond will be strong and your memories happy.
"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you." Phillipians 1:3
I Love You,
Mom
I am so thankful that God gave me girls to raise. Many years ago I thought I wanted a house full of boys, but the Lord knew what he was doing by giving me the three of you.
One of the things I like the most about having girls is the "sister" relationship. Since I grew up with a sister, I know how much fun it is to share things, be silly, and of course do what sisters do best-argue! And since you girls are all closer in age than I am with my sister, I suspect you will argue even more. It is part of growing and up and to be expected, but I want you to remember one thing. Your sisters will be your very best friends in this world.
My best advice to you regarding your sisters is to love them unconditionally. Stand up for them, fight for them, and defend them. P, you recently told me that people did not understand when you said your sister was your best friend. I am so proud of you for recognizing this truth in your relationship with E. And E, you have been such a wonderful big sister to S. She looks up to you and treasures the times that you play dolls together and spend time "pretending."
When you do argue, let it be short-lived and ask forgiveness quickly. Many times we do not realize how harmful our words can be, or how deeply we can hurt feelings. Remember that your sisters will be there when no one else will. Treasure each other and lean on each other. You will need each other, even if you don't realize it now.
And lastly, enjoy the gift of being "girly" with your sisters. Laugh, giggle and play together. Share each other's hurts and cry together if you need to. Don't be stingy with your "stuff." Let each other hang out in your rooms. Share your clothes, toys, books and games and be generous whenever you have the chance. If you do these things, your "sister" bond will be strong and your memories happy.
"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you." Phillipians 1:3
I Love You,
Mom
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Grace
Dear Daughters,
Grace can be defined as "God's unmerited favor." In other words, grace is getting what we do not deserve. This year at our church we are studying grace and it is such an important topic. It is also one I believe is often misunderstood.
Here is the take-away for you: There is NOTHING you can do that will make God love you more than He does right now. And there is also NOTHING you can do that will make God love you less than He does right now.
This past year has been tough for our family. As you know, Daddy losing his job has made 2010 a very difficult time. We have had to learn to accept grace from others. We have had to come face to face with our belief system and decide whether we really believed what we said we believed. Guess what we found out girls? His grace is enough for us.
This is the truth from God's word. You can count on it.
I Love You,
Mom
Grace can be defined as "God's unmerited favor." In other words, grace is getting what we do not deserve. This year at our church we are studying grace and it is such an important topic. It is also one I believe is often misunderstood.
Here is the take-away for you: There is NOTHING you can do that will make God love you more than He does right now. And there is also NOTHING you can do that will make God love you less than He does right now.
This past year has been tough for our family. As you know, Daddy losing his job has made 2010 a very difficult time. We have had to learn to accept grace from others. We have had to come face to face with our belief system and decide whether we really believed what we said we believed. Guess what we found out girls? His grace is enough for us.
This is the truth from God's word. You can count on it.
I Love You,
Mom
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Friendship
Dear Daughters,
God has truly blessed me in the area of girlfriends. I have old friends and new friends. I have friends I can call at the last minute that would drop everything to help me out and friends I don't see often but that are my fervent prayer warriors. I have college friends, church friends, neighborhood friends, friends that are the Moms of your friends, beach-buddy friends, long-distance friends, and many more. There are friends in my life who now have daughters that are your friends. I don't know how I could walk this life without my friends.
As in any area of life that God blesses, the enemy is constantly on the prowl seeking to kill and destroy. As awesome as friendships between girls and women can be, they can also be extremely challenging. Life can get hard and girls can be mean. I know you have each experienced this and you will throughout your life. As you navigate this process, I challenge you to ask yourself what kind of friend you are to others. Do you seek to build up or tear down? Do you follow the crowd and gossip or do you stand up for those who need it most? Do you follow the example of your sweet Savior who was the ultimate friend to those in need of Him? My best advice to you concerning friendship is to be consistent. Be the one that stays the same. Love others even when they are unlovable. Choose your closest friends wisely and carefully, understanding that true intimacy comes when Jesus is central in your relationships.
You will have many friends in your life. Some will stick around forever and some will be there only for a season. Love your friends for who they are and accept them where they are. And always remember that there is only one "friend who sticks closer than a brother" - Proverbs 18:24
I Love You,
Mom
God has truly blessed me in the area of girlfriends. I have old friends and new friends. I have friends I can call at the last minute that would drop everything to help me out and friends I don't see often but that are my fervent prayer warriors. I have college friends, church friends, neighborhood friends, friends that are the Moms of your friends, beach-buddy friends, long-distance friends, and many more. There are friends in my life who now have daughters that are your friends. I don't know how I could walk this life without my friends.
As in any area of life that God blesses, the enemy is constantly on the prowl seeking to kill and destroy. As awesome as friendships between girls and women can be, they can also be extremely challenging. Life can get hard and girls can be mean. I know you have each experienced this and you will throughout your life. As you navigate this process, I challenge you to ask yourself what kind of friend you are to others. Do you seek to build up or tear down? Do you follow the crowd and gossip or do you stand up for those who need it most? Do you follow the example of your sweet Savior who was the ultimate friend to those in need of Him? My best advice to you concerning friendship is to be consistent. Be the one that stays the same. Love others even when they are unlovable. Choose your closest friends wisely and carefully, understanding that true intimacy comes when Jesus is central in your relationships.
You will have many friends in your life. Some will stick around forever and some will be there only for a season. Love your friends for who they are and accept them where they are. And always remember that there is only one "friend who sticks closer than a brother" - Proverbs 18:24
I Love You,
Mom
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