This is not what most would expect by the title, but it will remind me of the silliness and pure joy I shared with with my daughter last night.  For context, she has been struggling to feel connected to Jesus for the past two months.  I wrote my kids a letter for the new year to encourage them in their spiritual relationships. Side note: I need to see if I posted it here as part of my journal.

Last week, they had another HUGE night with their youth group at church.  Real, powerful and life-changing decisions to follow Jesus were made.  Kids and leaders were all on fire in the best way.  Thank you, Father God, Thank you, Jesus, for reaching out so clearly to all of them!

Fast forward a few more days … my daughter was given a huge opportunity which she never expected.  She did not think there was any way possible for her father and I to agree and pay for it.  Well, we did.  She will be going on a cruise with her bestie and her parents.  ***REDACTED DETAILS*** Every parent I know has struggled with their teens at some point.  All I can do is encourage everyone to write letters when conflicts are repetitive.  Help the other side understand in a loving way.

I was blown away.  All of her typical attitude or energy was shifted.  We sat in the floor of my master bathroom because the sun was shining brightly.   She had some humor and grace in her words as she described how she felt doing the pooper scooper.   She has managed to avoid it for over two years!   She realized we don’t “Like” doing it either.  Then she told me she had to share something she knew I would appreciate.  My encouragement to her has been very consistent to “flip your Bible open” and just read whatever God has for you when you are feeling negative things.  She reminded me of our talk last week and the letter I wrote NYE.  She then told me she flipped her Bible open after the Superbowl for the first time in a long time.  This, after explaining how she has designed her room to bring Jesus to her dad, but that’s a different post.  She flipped to Matthew and knew she was worth more than sparrows.  She had written it on her wrist.  She pointed to our stained glass window above the tub and smiled.  Then, she talked about how it felt to read all the “bad” things in the letter and how it was so cool that I echoed that scripture in her mind through my words.  I had closed the letter telling her that she is worth a bajillion times more to us that the money. I explained it’s because she is worth so much that we would rather burn a thousand dollars on a fire than to send her on the trip with this behavior.

She also asked good questions.  I asked her, “do you understand how your dad and I feel” and she was honest.  She said, “honestly, no.  But, I am not a parent, mom.  What I do understand is how I feel when my friends don’t listen to me.  So, since you gave me life and I literally came from your uterus, I would think it’s worse for you and dad.”    Again, mind blown.

This challenge that consumed my day will be used for His glory. I feel in in every part of my being.  My husband is right to soften the blow of eventual and likely challenges. Still, it feels like our entire home is filled with the right message, His message and that is beyond exciting.  So much praise!