never too late

“You shall diligently teach them to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:7

I became a mom at the young age of 17. Speaking of being clueless… he was completely in love with that precious girl, but he didn’t really know how to help her grow. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do with her to prepare her to leave home and build a life of her own, to raise her own children.

That girl is now 33 years old and has two girls of her own. She also has a 28-year-old daughter and a 26-year-old son. Despite their youthful ignorance, they all survived and I am proud of the adults they have become. Sometimes I think of all the things I “didn’t do” that I wish I had done with them when they were kids.

I did not do it:

• read them bedtime stories
• help them say their prayers at night
• always teach them to pray and give thanks for meals
• have a time of devotions and reading of the Bible with them
• give them an allowance and teach them to be good stewards
• get them involved in donating to charities and helping those in need

As I look at my children today, I realize that even though I did not do everything right, it is not too late to be a role model and teach them by example. They still call me for advice and still look to me for answers, so I know I can still influence them and help them be better role models for their children.

What I do now:

• I read a lot and share what I’m reading with my children.
• I pray for my children and tell them that I am praying. My kids will tell you that mom’s answer to everything is “let’s pray about it.”
• When we eat together, we give thanks.
• I have daily devotional and Bible reading time with my husband and my children know it.
• We are missionaries, so we live on a budget and my children have seen how God has provided for our needs and how we practice being good stewards of God’s blessings.
• As missionaries, we serve others in need.

I hope that my current life influences the lives of my children, but they have grown to be healthy, happy, godly adults, not because of what I did or didn’t do, but because God cared for them. As a young father, many times I didn’t know what to do, so he prayed and I still do today… I pray for my children and God takes care of the rest. If his children are no longer “children”; don’t look back and regret things you didn’t do or things you did wrong, it’s never too late to be a role model. Be an example of Christ to his children, regardless of their age.