Years ago I began crying because someday my seven children would leave home.  My husband and children would laugh and chide me for my silliness. I have poured every ounce of my being into pleasing Christ.  Oh, I've done badly many times, but His will has been my highest aspiration.  This has greatly impacted my parenting choices.  I would be here, teach them, love them.  I would try to cover all of the important topics.  Now, as I stand back and watch from a great distance, I wonder: how have I done, Lord?  Have I equipped them thoroughly enough?  I taught them to question everything and compare it with scripture.  Consequently none of them are big on the traditions of man--even ours.  :)

Three of our children are now married.  We have five grandchildren.  I am 47.  We are educating two of our children at home, as we did the other five.  Our twenty-year-old and our twenty-one-year-old are on an extended visit with a married sister in the States.  Our children range in age from 16 to 27, and I am watching and praying as my grown children work through all that I have taught them.  I have the blessed priviledge of knowing that all of them want to please the Lord. Beyond that I don't really know what their decisions will be in the nitty-gritty of fleshing out your beliefs into real life situations.

Did I cover the important things well enough?  Did I assume they would "catch" my beliefs eventually?  Sometimes children don't want to study important topics, but then when they need the info, they are already under someone else's influence. Was I thorough in teaching the Bible translation/text issues?  How about how music controls humanity?  Do they understand what a "long and flowing" garment is?  Do they know how important masculinity/femininity is to the Creator?  Do they understand dressing modestly because you love the brethren and wouldn't want to be a stumbling block to them?  Has each one "examined themselves" to make sure they are in the faith--or did they just pray a sinner's prayer?  Have they "repented and believed the gospel" as Jesus instructed?  Or do they "believe and tremble, like the devils do"?

I really believe all of them will do well, but until eternity I will watch and pray.  

from the heart of a mom