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Monday, May 9, 2016

Teaching Our Daughters to Thrive

Friday night was our local homeschool spring formal and my two oldest teens had been planning the night for months. Sixteen year old Lynzie wanted a Cinderella dress---complete with multi-colored butterflies---so I put aside everything and made it for her the day before the dance.

We arrived to a gorgeously decorated ballroom and a lovely dinner laid for the guests. It was their time to enjoy so I hung back with a couple friends and chatted the evening away. Sometimes, while my mom friends were off visiting with other moms, I had time to just watch the kids dancing, playing, laughing, and enjoying their special evening. ...and I did a lot of thinking. {A seven-hour prom gives one lots of time to think}.

Lynzie is about a year and a half away from a state of full independence. She's already expressed her desire to stay home with us until she's out of her teen years. She doesn't yet know that love changes everything and, if she's anything like her mama, she could be married and expecting her first baby by 20!

I stood there watching her brilliantly smiling and moving gracefully around the room and all I could think was---live. I want her to live. I want her to thrive. To reach into the great big pot of life before her with both hands and scoop up every bit of wonder and throw it up into the air and let it come showering down over her. Then I want her to raise her hands and spin and delightfully dance in every ounce of it.

I want to teach her how to conquer fear.

I want to teach her to find fulfillment in blessing others.

I want to teach her to look for diamonds in the rough.

I know I'm not the first mom-of-a-teen to panic at the thought of running out of time. I don't know why we tend to think 18 is the magic number at which the clock strikes midnight on our influence in the lives of our children.

God, please help me to remember that the best way to teach my daughter to thrive is by living the example of an abundant life myself.

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5 comments:

  1. It's lovely to see how beautiful a Disney-inspired dress looks on a young woman instead of a pre-teen. Great dressmaking skills, Sarah. Lynzie reminds me of Snow White.

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  2. You are truly an amazing lady and mother. That is the sad part of life when our children grow up and away. All the children are great and Lynzie truly a lovely lady.

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  3. This is really sweet and touching. I don't have any teen daughters or sons yet, but I know it will be fast. My oldest boy is 11 and next is my girl, who is almost 9 with three little ones after (one being in my stomach at the moment). I would love all the things you said for your daughter for my kids. Thank you for sharing your heart!

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Mrs. Sarah Coller

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