There comes a day when every little bird has to learn to fly. The momma actually pushes them out of the nest. Some learn to fly, some don't, but staying in the nest is not an option.
We are right in the middle of these battles in our home. You want to help them. You don't want them to feel the pain. But if I keep helping them, they never gain any self respect and they don't respect us either. We actually do them a disservice when we help them too much.
It is painful to watch a child have to learn to take a second job or work to save money for some needed item, but these lessons are the lessons of life. They will never stand on their own feet unless I stop carrying them.
I think God too, wants us to stand on our own two feet and make our life decisions. I don't believe that everything is choreographed by God. He is not an overprotective parent. I believe that His greatest joy is to watch his children grow up, take responsibility and step out into life and exercise their free will.
To the extend that I forget this and keep trying to save my children from their problems, I am only contributing to their failure. To the degree that I help them learn to stand on their own two feet, I do well.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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1 comment:
Jeff, you and Cathy are so good as parents, and also so right on this aspect of life and growing up. You are also right about how difficult it is to watch.
God bless. Good things happening in your family that don't always feel good.
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