do you have the time?

"(Mothers), do not exasperate your children;" Ephesians 6:4

One of the most valuable things we can do for our kids, especially as they become teenagers, is to make special time for them. One-on-one time. Face time.

I haven't done a very good job in that area over the past couple of months, especially for my middle daughter Madison. She called me on the carpet for it the other day...you know, for making time for everything and everyone but her. And I had to admit that she was right. And that was wrong. And so I headed to my calendar to fix my errant behavior. We had a date set for Thursday afternoon, and come hell or high water, we were gonna have some fun together!

And then...

My youngest daughter Rebecca became ill. She was sick for days, in fact. When I took her to the doctor yesterday, we found out she actually has walking pneumonia. Ugh. When I finally returned home from the doctor's office and the local CVS, I broke the news to Maddie that we weren't going out after all. Becca was running a high fever, and I didn't feel comfortable leaving her with her brother. And my middlest had a melt-down. I can't begin to tell you how disappointed she was. She really wanted to spend some alone time with me. So with the promise of breakfast the next morning, and shopping to her heart's content, we agreed to "try again tomorrow."

For those parents that believe that once your children become teens they don't "need" you as much, I would beg to differ. My teens seem to need me more now than when they were toddlers. I've loved every season they've gone through, but I truly love these years the best. So far they're bearing good fruit. Don't get me wrong...they're far from perfect, and so am I. But it's exciting to come alongside them in this season as more of a "coach" than a parent. Maddie and her brother Austin are on the cusp of adulthood, and beginning to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. My prayer is that they'll continue to want to spend time with us, share their lives with us, and look for our input when they have tough adult choices to make.

We ended up going to lunch instead of breakfast. I woke up at 3:30am, and couldn't go back to sleep until around 6:30am. I finally crawled out of bed stiff and tired at 10am. But we continued to make the best of things. Two cups of coffee and a hot shower later, we finally left the house. I took her to one of my favorite places, This Whole House, located in quaint downtown Summerville, SC. The food was delicious and the company divine. I even ran into a couple of friends from my Creative Memories days! The manager was so friendly, and even let me take some pics of her store. (Pssssttt...she's trying to sell her place to spend more time with her hubby.) You should drop in if you're ever nearby.

Lord, help me to cherish these days, for I know they are fleeting. One day my home will be empty, my schedule not so full, and I will wish for these days with teenagers once more. Help me to number my days aright, and give me a heart of wisdom. Amen.