Well, I do! And sometimes it deeply concerns me. Do they even care at all that I really do care about them, about their futures, about their choices, about their hopes and dreams, their desires, their fears, their everything, their spirituality.
Spirituality...now THAT is MY number one care and concern. I do care about ALL of the rest very much, but I care more about their souls, and where ALL the rest of it, their futures-choices-hopes-dreams-desires-fears-everything, lead their souls...for their final destination.
I have told each one of my boys, that I really don't care what profession in life they choose, what career choice they make and that I will support whatever path they choose, so long as it is morally sound. I will support your decision so long as it is approved by God. Now if I feel that it would affect you spiritually I will fight you tooth and toenail about it. I will hound you, I will pray for you, I will beg God to change your mind, but otherwise, I will support you. I want my boys to seek God about all their decisions...allow Him to lead their life path. One thing I have stressed to them, is to choose a career they would enjoy. To me it seems like the silliest thing to have a job you absolutely hate. You live life one time, ENJOY as much of it as you can. And you will spend a large part of your time at work, so choose something you enjoy. If you hate your job it will affect everything and everyone around you.
That being said, and this all really does tie together...My dear oldest is a senior, and he has been trying to settle on "what he wants to be when he grows up". He thought he had settled it. The path he thought he was going to take, I was a little uncomfortable with it, but I thought part of that was just the "mother" in me. But there was one thing that I was concerned about and I did talk to him about it. I realize that God may/will need some of His people in certain positions, if our world keeps going the way it is going. But I felt the need to address it with my son. If things keep on the way they are, I can see some treacherous times ahead for the Christians. So I "created" an incident that COULD happen with the career path that my son was deciding on...and asked him, "If THIS happens, what would you do?" I just felt that he needed to be aware of what he may have to do. And I left it at that. Because, I don't know what God's plan is for him...I left it with him and just prayed for him.
Well, it was getting down to the wire. He had taken his ACT test, and scored a 31 on it! and for the college he was looking at he wanted to meet the early consideration deadline. But the closer it came, the more stressed he became, and he was somewhat irritable. Finally, one day he came to me and said, "Mom, I was looking into '-------------'. I just haven't felt good for a while about the 'other'." (I am inside rejoicing! THANK YOU GOD!) And after a certain situation that had happened it kind of sealed that choice for him. "But I want to feel like I am making a difference, I want to help people." He is now pursuing his choice, and although it could be dangerous (just about any job really could be). I am ok with it. And honestly it probably makes more money than the other anyway. I don't care if he scored a 36 on his test, I am not going to push my child to get a 4 year degree, just for the sake of going to college. If he needs to go to college to get where he wants to be, fine. If not then what's the point? He does not need a 4 year degree to get where he wants to be and honestly I feel a bit relieved. College could be detrimental to a soul.
So back to my original question. Do we ever wonder if they listen? I was so happy and thankful, because him coming to me and saying "I just wasn't feeling good about it." Was so encouraging to me. He really does care what God wants from him. I felt he did, but I sometimes worry that they want something more than what God wants. It was a ray of hope I needed during a particularly dark week. Then for him to look at me and say, "I really want to make a difference, I want to help people." What more can a mother say? What more could a mother want? Yes, I realize that you can help people and not be a Christian, but he's on the right track. (He is saved, by the way, I don't mean to make that impression. Just sometimes you wonder what is really going on in their minds.) So I don't know what God's plan is for his life, but I will keep praying for him...praying for him to follow God's plan. I am proud of him. I am proud of the wonderful, handsome young man he is becoming!
I have my days when I just want to cry. I can't believe my oldest son is a senior. How did we get here? How did he become a man? How did he grow up so fast?! Sometimes, It's exciting, sometimes it is scary. I just hope and pray I don't well enough...amidst all my failures...in instilling enough in him to seek after God for his life's direction. So seek God first. Because, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the TRUTH." (3 John 1:4)
We are Still,
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