Thursday Talkn' About Teens~New Computers

I have two excited teenagers!! We were able to get them both their own laptops recently, and they are having a GREAT time loading their own wallpapers, and programs.  Of course these will help them with their school work, but just as important is their ability to learn and work with their creative juices.

I got ticked with my son when tonight at Bible study he said, "let me go get my computer so we can look that up," meaning a word in the Bible we didn't know the definition.  Ha~guess the processor can translate Greek and Hebrew now??? LOL

Teenagers~gotta love 'em!

Thursday Talkn' About Teens~Dreaming!

Dreams are more than what happens to us in our sleep.  They are well crafted desires that enlist an action on our part to get something DONE~and my daughter has dreams, BIG dreams! She wants to live in Japan one day and be a writer.  Now as to order of these dreams, I can't say...I just know that at 15 she is chasing the elusive star as hard as she can in learning the Japanese language and studying the culture, as well as writing and attempting to sharpen her skills as she does.  She has entered a writing contest which we are quite proud of~while the entry isn't a "all roses and light" kind of story, it is well written and leaves one going..hmmm....

It's amazing when our teens LOVE and pursue something that is a desire and DREAM...my son, while he's not voiced it more than once has said he might play his trumpet for a living...is this way I hear him practice multiple times a day?

 As much as we think we can drive our teens to go after something, it really turns into what it is that they WANT~their own vision of their future lives...where they see themselves as adults.

Well, at least mine have noble aims...they could wanna be  a ditch digger~which IF this is where they end up or what they pursue, I pray that honesty and nobleness of character will be their motto as with any other thing they do.

Our kids are dreaming~
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Winng the Battles and Losing the WAR

Winning in skirmishes with our children as they age may actually position us to a place of losing the war in the end of the engagement.  As a mom, I can't have a win at all costs attitude with my children who are now of the ages that they are thinking and well able to express their positions to me.  I once held this belief of their absolute obedience with the idea that obedience would be crucial in their development of character and goodness.  and while it's important, it's over rated for the child well into adolescence.  An older child needs to have a safe haven, I think to express their ills into without mom coming unglued...and let me tell you, I have wanted to become unglued! I think my children are testing my love and willingness to accept them, love them, guide them without fear of revenge or anger.  I know this may seem like an odd description when children are to be obedient and respectful, but the safety they sometimes NEED to feel when their world is upside down and they need to just be "ill" is more important than that they stuff up their feelings for the behaviors that while wonderful will create more stress and strain...Oh I'm definitely not advocating a raging child and accepting this as good in the home! Not in the least, but if a child needs to express, if I can listen even when it's NOT in a way I would desire, and somehow detatch myself from the pain and anger welling up inside myself, for "how dare he or she treat ME~wonderful mother that I am, in such a manner as. _ _ _ _" to a place of calmness and hearing my child and really KNOWING and SEEING what is going on.

One such "face off" has recently occurred.  I am not sure I passed this "test," but I held my cool and ground...stayed firm and loving and waited until a cooler head on both our parts was present in order to tackle the issues.

Maybe you aren't struggling like this at your house.  Sometimes totalitarianism just breeds more rebellion~what is it a kid "wants" anyway when they act up? Love and attention! Not punishment, guilt and shame for their feelings and actions.

I am praying that God will show me how to lovingly, but firmly "finish nesting" my two hatchlings so they can eventually fly with wings of the eagle and with the spirit represented by the dove!  By using patience, love, understanding, faith, peace, hope, joy, goodness, meakness, temperance, bond, family ties...these are working us towards this goal for my family along with a strong sense of our faith in our Heavenly Father who guides our hearts and minds.

I wanted to share just in case you too are in the trenches with your child~here's to true victory where EVERYBODY wins!
Building Confidence
10 Things Teens Want to Hear