Chelsea leaves for NYC at 4:15 a.m. tomorrow....as I have been having hives about her going to NYC without me and with a bunch people who, more than likely, hold very few moral values in sync with ours, including her teacher who is living with his girlfriend and their year old daughter...i know because he feels the need to inform and update his students on his personal life in class.....i realize that what we have been doing with Chelsea for the past 15 years now comes to a head. This is our first big test of Chelsea and of us.
Anyhoo--this is where Jay and I's parenting skills will come into play. In some ways this is the beginning of things to come in the very near future. Our daughter is an amazingly responsible young lady. Who loves the Lord and seeks to follow Him in all that she does. It has been rather easy since she is still living at home and when things don't turn out right, mom and dad are right around the corner. Well for the next 4 days we will be 5 hours away from her.
As much as I hate to see my children fail at something, we really try to tell them that it is a redirection and not a failure. What they tried didn't work, they need to try again....sounds like an old proverb huh?!
So tonight, I tucked Chelsea in bed and told her that I trusted her. That no matter what happens, I will always love her. There is nothing she can do to take my love away. That I am proud of who she is. That I am confident in her abilities to make good choices. The clincher was I told her that at all times, God sat on one shoulder and I sat on the other. And while God holds eternity in His hands...I hold the next 3 years until she graduates!!!!
I don't know about you but, when I was a teen, it was the image of my mom sitting on my shoulder that kept me from doing many a thing that I should not have done. It owuld have been a fate worse than death to have to tell Becky that I had really really messed up and confess my sin to her and to see the disappointment on her face. That kept me out of ALOT of trouble that presented itself during my teen years....alcohol, sex, drugs, lying, stealing, cheating...you name it...it all presented itself to me at one time or another.
So when you are done reading this...please pray for the safety of the 23 who are going to NYC on this trip.
This is one test that I am sure Chelsea will pass with flying colors!
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2 comments:
Ellyn, thanks for sharing this. It was a beautiful story. Did you make it through telling her that without crying? I almost didn't make it through reading it without crying! :-)
I am sure she will be fine. Remember she has to worry about disappointing you and Becky! I am sorry to hear about your grandmother passing. Please give my condolenses to your parents.
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