Though my kids may disagree since I was born before the internet, I don’t consider myself “old”. But it seems that in my short 35 years of life, I’ve seen so many facts change to fiction (and vice versa), that I don’t even know what to believe many times. Yes, I get that we are always learning new things…and “when we know better, we do better”…I totally get it. But thinking about it makes my head spin. It’s no wonder we are crazy!
A few examples…
Eat more grains. Oh, no! Don’t eat any grains. But wait, maybe we do need grains, just use them sparingly. Fats? Sparingly of course! But wait, here’s some that are “healthy” fats.
Technology has come a long way! Make sure you’re teaching your kids how to use it, so they can be successful in the workplace. Don’t let your kids have technology…it causes ADHD and a myriad of other things. We should go back to the dark ages before we had technology.
Shop on the outside aisles of the grocery store for healthy living. Oh, but you really should avoid red meats. And not too many fruits…actually only eat berries, the rest are bad for you.
Give your kids options to explore extracurricular activities, so they can find their passion. Do you really think your kids need so much “extra”?? When we were young, we didn’t get to do all that…we just played outside all day with kick-the-can and mud pies.
Don’t work outside of the home. Your place is in the home teaching and training your kids. Why don’t you go find a job? You know you need car funds, college funds, retirement funds, and more not too far down the road.
Don’t ever just rent a house. You waste so much money that way…you may as well throw it away. Why don’t you just rent a house instead of buy so you can move if you ever wanted to without the hassle of buy/sell and profit/loss? And you may not even have yard work to keep up with.
Always vaccinate. Never vaccinate. Well, maybe we should…but on our terms.
Make sure you don’t let your kid have a smart phone…there’s so much bad on it. They get nothing but a good ole flip phone. Train your kids with technology while they are in your care/supervision, so they know how to act and handle it carefully when they are outside of the home.
Now, before you jump on my case…I know EVERY one of these topics have truth to them…good and bad. And I know that we have to do our due diligence and research the good, the bad, and the ugly on it all, and then, after lots of prayer, make a decision that we feel is right for our families. But do you ever get tired of making those decisions? Especially when it comes to your own kids?? I know I am. Allowance or not? Movies or not? This app or that? Vacations or not? These styles or those? Guard them or let them live and learn? This rule or that? College or no college? On and on and on it goes…if you let it, it consumes you daily. Every day, I feel like I am faced with 1,000 (or more) decisions that I’m helping (directly or indirectly) my kids to make…and there isn’t one day that I’ve been confident of those decisions. Especially when I think back to how many “truths” have changed in my lifetime alone.
IT. IS. EXHAUSTING.
It’s no wonder we are crazy!
But, my heart finds solace and rest in knowing that none of these decisions affect the one absolute truth that has and never will change…the love of God. I may make a mess of parenting on a daily…or even an hourly…basis. I may “scar my kids for life” with weird habits, “truths” that change over time, and personality quirks. But, as long as I make sure to live a life for Christ…share Christ and His love with and to my kids…and ultimately do all I can to lead them to their personal salvation in Christ, where they too will follow Him in all of life’s crazy turns, then I’ve succeeded.
NOTHING. ELSE. MATTERS.
So, bring on the craziness, Life. I serve a God who listens and answers my prayers, even the ones from an exhausted, confused mother who has no idea what she’s doing. I’m ready to quit worrying over the little things that are bound to change time and time again, so I can fully focus on the ONE who never changes.
