Our Children's Choices

I have hesitated at the bearing of my soul on here lest anyone want to gag on a spoon. But the truth is that I need to. I am not here to make choices for my children. I have my own choices to make.  I am here to guide their choices surely, but not to make them. And I feel this is the right thing. 

This past year seems to have been a testing ground for this belief. I have seen my children make choices that I don't agree with. And although I may have given some advice or expressed concern, I ultimately have to let them make these choices and hopefully learn in the process.  It still doesn't make it easy though. It's heartbreaking to see them struggle. Today while driving in the car I realized two things. 

1.  I don't have to feel this heartbreak.  Jesus already paid it for me and for them.

2.  This life is for experiences that will help us live the true life we are intended for, Kings and Queens.

I think that too often we try to create the perfect life NOW. We want this thing NOW.  We want to feel included NOW. We want to have the perfect house NOW.  We want everything to be the dreamland NOW.

It's not going to be. But someday it will.  This life is the time to have the experiences that will refine us. We need to rely on our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He can truly save us from ourselves. 

So although it's still hard to see my children struggle with the various things in their lives.  Today I am able to let go a little. Because my older brother, Jesus Christ has taken care of that pain for me already. So I'm just going to embrace my kids and tell them I love them and assure them that although they may feel like an outsider right now, someday through the atonement of Jesus Christ, they will rule the world!