Youthfulness

I Timothy 4:12 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."


If there is one thing I have learned in this journey of raising children it would be that I have learned a WHOLE lot more than ONE thing! I've learned to sit back and take a deep breath before I jump to conclusions...I've learned that it's usually not as bad as I first thought. I've learned that I usually learn more from a situation than my children do!! I've learned that I will never, ever quit learning from them as long as I am their mother! 
Someone gave the verse above beautifully hand-painted and framed to Holly for a graduation present from high school. It still hangs on the wall in her bedroom at home and I still love it! I feel it is ever so relevant for my children at all times! When I first read that verse it makes me think of how many times I jump to conclusions with my children in anger over something they did or did not do. The meat of the verse is in the end....it's the way we all need to live our lives no matter what our age or stage of life is..."set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in faith and in purity."  It's the way we need to conduct our lives in every area not just so we "look good" on the outside and that everyone can "think" we've got it all under control....but we need to live like this because we love our Heavenly Father so much that we are compelled to act this way! It should disturb us deep in our souls if we act in any other form or fashion. The love we have for Jesus should always set the standard for how we live our own lives, how we want our children to live and how we treat other people. That's all it should stem from....a total, all consuming love for Him! 
Case it point: for the past week all I have done is weep for my middle children. Holly and Brad have faced and embraced a very difficult time in their life right now and as their parents it's been extremely difficult to watch them have to endure the pain they have been through. But...as usual...they have risen to the occasion and been a shining example to us of how a mature Christian faces adversity. Yes, it's been rough...no, they don't understand why this is happening and neither do we. However...I've learned more from them than ever as they trust and obey. It's been a great teaching tool for us and one that I've tried to share with Miller and his friends. They have certainly set an example for all of us and they have demonstrated Christ's love in their speech and their actions....they are setting an example for all us to follow as they step out in faith and trust God with their future. That is truly an example of how even in their youth...their actions prove they should not be looked down on and I can certainly learn a thing or two from them! And I am grateful for it and extremely proud of them and blessed to be their mother and mother in law. 

As we deal with each child...and each issue I am claiming I Timothy for them and for Miller and even Mitch and Britney, expecting that as they grow they will be an example in their youth to all of us as believers.