You are Your Children's Hero

As I think back and imagine my childhood, my little kid days, I grew up with an amazing group of friends.  The kind of friends that when one of them received an “F” on his report card, we all packed our bags to run away with him … even if it was just across the street.  If I can remember correctly, 10 sets of parents were called to come get their children … funny thing is … our parents before leaving school, unpacked our bags to see what 3^rd graders were going to survive on.  They found skittles, shorts, candy bars, socks … no toothbrushes, no warm clothes, NOTHING of use to survive (this was the end of fall and it was COLD).  Very comical to remember … at that moment, we did not need our “friends” we needed our PARENTS.  Parents are who we desperately needed in the 3^rd grade, and we all had wonderful ones. Our parents shaped us into respectful children, they guided us, they led by example, and they were THERE for us, ALWAYS!

In my adolescent years, pre-teen to graduation, our elementary school merged with another district school, so we had (us) the kids who weren’t concerned with the brand of clothes we wore UNTIL we were mixed with the other school … some of us fit in perfectly, some of us didn’t so it was a struggle all throughout the rest of our (my) days in school.  I went from having close knit friends, to having a few friends that saved my life and didn’t know it.  They kept me afloat, making life tolerable.  Friends in that stage of life, struggle to stand up in fear of getting the same form of treatment because they themselves are trying to survive.  We didn’t need friends as much as we needed our PARENT’S love, support, and GUIDANCE.  Parents are who we desperately needed in our adolescent years, and we all had wonderful ones. 

                My point is, yes having great friends throughout every stage of your life is a huge blessing, but the most important piece to a child’s life is having amazing and loving PARENTS to help them through and guide them.  Parents are who we needed the most when we were younger, and parents are who we still need now that we are adults.  We never stop needing them, we never stop loving them. 

               Lord, let us be WHO we NEEDED when we were YOUNGER.  May we be the rock our children rely on, every day, always.  Let us have strength to be a powerhouse in their corner, even if it is chasing monsters from underneath their bed or from their closet.  Our children need our presence, not presents. Lord let us lead them, guide them, and love them unconditionally.  Many of us are parents, or play the role of a parent, let us be who we needed, let us be the PARENTS our children so desperately need in this hard world.  Let God place in our hearts patience, let us pay full attention to their lives, before they grow up lost and wandering. ~ Amen.