Would I change some things if I could go back and have a remake? Sure, if I was allowed to take the knowledge and wisdom I have gained from my experiences. But then again, all the circumstances would most likely change from the different situations that would result from the different decisions I would make. All I know is that I did the best I could with what I was given. That’s all God asked of me.

The best explanation I can come up with for feeling everyone knows your business is that when you are struggling, you are so engrossed in it that assumptions are made when an inquiry is made. Don’t fall into the trap of giving an explanation of your struggles just because someone asks how everything is going. Be careful who you share with and the extent of the details. Not everyone is capable of keeping their mouth shut. They may slip and give too many details in a prayer request.

When it comes to sharing your burdens, keep in mind that it is important to have a confidant. You need someone you can unload on. That person should be someone you know you can trust, and, if possible, can identify with you and your struggles.

As hard as it may seem, you are not the only one struggling with your kids. Do what you can to get a support system in place that will be there when the crisis come. If you can’t find any, that’s what our ministry is all about.

When our daughter Kimberly was 5 months old, the doctors couldn’t tell us if she would walk or talk. Her development delays, along with the seizures, signaled a greater problem. She wasn’t even pushing up on all 4s at 6 months, let alone sitting up. She became the subject of prayers around the world - we were blessed with a lady in our church who wrote all the missionaries about the Pastor’s granddaughter! We started into physical therapy and thankfully a year later she was actually 2 months ahead! What a long year that was - waiting has never been my strong suit and it was so tough to wait and hope for the skills to come. God is so good! That little floppy baby, as her nurses called her, is now a strong young woman enjoying her sophomore year in college!

Little Joah is changing each week - we have the great joy of babysitting each Saturday. It is amazing to watch how fast he develops a new skill and soon I’m sure we’ll be very busy keeping up with him! I’m thankful God sends me little reminders of how He answered our prayers 20 years ago - I’m trusting He’s going to take care of a few others in the near future.

Comparisons tend to take away our individuality and uniqueness. None of us are made the same. That’s what makes life both challenging and interesting. Learning to cope with others is one of the ways God uses to help us grow and mature. Some teach us patience, some love, some thoughtfulness, etc.

The same can be said of our children. Each is unique in their own special way. The challenge is to figure out what works best for each child. I have 3 children and all 3 are very different in the methods used for discipline. What works for one obviously won’t for the others. That’s what makes raising our children so much fun. It takes a lot of time and effort and certainly isn’t done overnight.

We need to look at our children as gifts from God. Take the time to really get to know them. Find out what makes them tick. Invest our time more than our money. The things they will remember most are the times you spent with them, not the monetary. Let’s invest our most treasured thing in them, out TIME. It’s the least we can do.

If you encounter someone who is struggling with their child, do the best thing for them and just listen. They need to vent first. You will earn their respect by actually listening. You might just be surprised at how much it helps.

Today our son celebrated his first Father’s Day. It wasn’t that long ago that I never thought we’d see him happily married or raising a child. The terrible memories of recent years have been replaced with daily reminders of how blessed we are and how God’s grace has been shown to him and to our family. You see, it’s nothing we did right or wrong, simply God’s amazing grace that has brought him to this new life.

Not too long ago, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day were not holidays I looked forward to. I am so thankful for my own parents - without their love and support I wouldn’t have made it through those tough years. But these holidays tend to bring around all the guilt and disappointments we have faced as parents. This has been the first year in a very long time that I have truly enjoyed celebrating them. Yes, the past tries to creep in and steal our joy, but it is quickly shoved to the back. I have had to choose to not let the past rule my present or future. There is too much of life still to enjoy to spend it on regrets and past guilt.

We have passed into a new phase of life - we are the proud parents of three adult children (and one new daughter-in-love) along with the grandparents of a wonderful little boy. There will still be disappointments and struggles, but we choose to enjoy all the blessings the Lord sends our way. How thankful I am for God’s amazing grace!

Responding means we take the time necessary to make sure the time fits the crime. It gives us the chance to put the responsibility where it belongs - them. They made the mistake, they should suffer the consequences and take the responsibility. By doing this, you can shift the blame to its proper place and not let them give you a guilt trip for their behavior.

Later in the day, Joah started showing signs of respiratory distress and was taken to the nursery for tests and monitoring. It was quite a roller coaster ride - he would improve long enough to return to the room, only to have to return again and eventually ended up in the NICU. Abby was discharged today and Joah has had to stay for a little extra care.

Thankfully he has made big improvements throughout the day. The doctors believe he just needs a little time and all will be well. However, yesterday they thought they were dealing with pulmonary hypertension, which in an infant can be very serious. It corrected itself and doesn’t seem to be an issue. The nurse told us there must be prayers being lifted up and someone up above looking out for him. How true that is! We are blessed with so many people who have been praying from all parts of the country.

I am so excited to enter this part of parenting, and in turn grandparenting. I have been in love with this little guy since the very first ultrasound, if not before. What a blessing to be allowed to see him enter the world and to be loved so completely by his parents, as well as the rest of a big family. And I must say, he is quite a handsome little boy (not that I’m partial or anything).

The changes that have taken place in my children - the true heart changes - occurred when I was no where around. As I learned to step out of the way and concentrate on my own spiritual life, God was faithful. After all, the changes that needed to take place weren’t just behavior changes. To truly be life changing, it has to first start with the heart. He loves my children so much more than I could, and is even more concerned about their welfare.

We don’t hesitate to take our children to the pediatrician when they are sick - we trust he knows the proper treatment to heal them. We need to put the same trust in the Great Physician. The treatment may not be to our liking - we often want to save them from consequences. Just as we knew the medicine prescriped by the pediatrician was worth the bad taste it would leave, so we must trust that the prescription of the Great Physician is just what they need. If we can leave it to Him, we will experience true peace in the midst of the storm.