Wednesday, June 8, 2016

A Light Summer Read (or not really light at all but Rachel feels the need to get real this summer)

I have some important news to share...

Life is not easy.

Now I know that it may come as shock to some of you that I do not have my life all together. What with my amazing laundry skills, my willingness to give up control and let things just happen naturally and my innate ability to always say just the right thing... I should be whistling Dixie on a yellow brick road somewhere. Ummmm, not so much.

There is a whole lotta good over here in boyland don't get me wrong.  It's summer.  I have air conditioning. There are chips ahoy cookies in my freezer as we speak.  I can take a hot bath and stalk people on facebook until my heart is content. I don't even think we need to discuss Candy Crush. (I really need some sort of candy support group) (or I could just delete the app)

However things in testosterone world are flying by. How did 12, 11, 10, 8 and 1 turn into 18, 17, 16, 14 and 7 so quickly?  In boy time that should seem like 252 years but seriously...it was yesterday.  I know you guys have all read articles and books about the last time you will do something for your kids or when the little boy grows up and rocks his momma instead of the other way around.  Such good advice! Life happens fast. Cherish it!

What I never paid attention to is the lessons little boys need before it is too late.  I am sure the blogs are out there. I am sure there are many books on the subject. I might have been a little too sure of myself,  a little too controlling to pay much attention.  Or maybe you just never think the bad things will happen to your kids.  Or that your kids will be the bad things that happen.

Don't get me wrong...my sister and I have never been ones to downplay our children's ability to be trouble.  Have you read this blog? But how do you forsee the how great the need is to teach them things like...


  • Make good friends early. Surround yourself with kids who have the same ambitions in life that you do because once you are 18, video games and you tube videos make for a very lonely existence if that's all you have. 
  • 17 comes quickly and it is a magic number. Magic is not always good.  17 is when the stupid, childish, impulsive choices you make at 16 become something totally different.  17. You can't smoke or drink or vote or live on your own but you can make a choice that others will hold you accountable for...not just your parents. 
  • School sometimes sucks. Sometimes you get teachers who aren't great.  Sometimes you get teachers who don't like you.  But guess what? Those teachers aren't the ones who will have to get up at 7:30 and do 7 hours of geometry for 18 days of their precious summer vacation. They are no longer 16. They put in their time. They are on a beach sipping mixed drinks not even thinking about the fact that you have to put on a collared shirt and khakis. They are not thinking about the fact that you didn't do the work in their class because of your indignant attitude that they should be doing more.  And guess what?  They are still getting a paycheck. Look out for yourself. Work hard for you. 
  • 14 seems young.  It seems so innocent.  BUT WHAT YOU DO NOW CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Please, please, please watch the mistakes others have made and choose differently. There is time. 


I walked into the living room today and saw this...

A game controller and a brown blanket. You may recognize the blanket.  It belongs to my last baby...


For 7 years it has been right here. He is growing. He falls asleep without it. He goes to school and doesn't think about it.

Oh, Gabe! Embrace the controller...grow up...it's so fun. There is so much to learn and so many great things to do.  But sweet boy hold on to that blanket a little while longer.  There are hard, crappy lessons ahead too. 

Friends, life is not easy.  It is not what we pick and choose to share on social media to make others think we are perfect. 
It is messy.  
It is lonely and depressing and sad.
It has laws and locks.
It has people who don't always live up to your expectations of what a leader should be. 
It has people who let you down. 

But it also has seasons. 
It has family. 
It has people who love you no matter what you do. 
It has hope.
It has a God who has plans for your future. Plans of welfare not of evil.  
It has brown blankets.  

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