Somewhere between the age of 14 and 17, my relationship with my youngest son changed.
I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened. I just know the change has been much tougher on me than it has been on him.
When he became a teenager, I naively thought he would be the easiest of my four kids to parent through these years.
After all, I was an experienced mom, and had been through the teen years with three other kids. So I should be an old hand at it, right?
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
My first three kids were each two years apart in age. They were close enough to have built-in playmates.
With my youngest son, however, there were four years between him and the next closest sibling, and nine years between him and his oldest brother.
That age gap meant he never really had someone close enough in age who wanted to do what he thought was fun.
I haven’t been much fun for him either. He doesn’t like board games, and I’m lousy at his favorite games.
I don’t even understand his games most of the time! 🙂
All that to say, connecting with him in a close way hasn’t been easy.
I was reading Titus, Chapter 3, yesterday, and verse 8 really stood out to me.
“And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”
I realized the passage spoke about living life purposefully, rather than allowing one day to pass to the next without actively “doing what is good.”
In my case, that means working on my relationship with my son.
Life’s too short to do otherwise, and before I know it, he’ll no longer live at home.
I knew a visual reminder would help me remember to purposely connect with him – not just make passing conversation. So I made an inspirational image I could hang on a clipboard or frame.
Hanging it on a clipboard is a pretty and easy way to display it.
If you feel this inspirational image would help you live more intentionally too, you are welcome to print it.
It’s an 8″ x 10″ image that you can have printed anywhere you get photos developed. It cost me under $3 to have it printed on matte photo paper.
If you prefer to just print it at home on regular 8-1/2″ x 11″ paper, I’ve also included the image with a line around it, so you can cut it at 8″ x 10″ size easily.
CLICK HERE TO PRINT WITH CUT LINES
I’d love to hear ways that you focus on making connections with people you love, too.
Here’s to living life on purpose!
Vaya con Dios,
You are so generous to share these very personal stories about your family and faith. Thanks Angie.
Thank you Sherri – I don’t often share personal stories about my family, but sometimes I feel something is worth sharing that may help someone else as well.
Blessings,
Angie
1 Thessalonians 5:24 “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it”. I cling to this verse when I worry about children and grandchildren. Thanks for sharing your faith!
Thanks for sharing that verse, Wanda. That’s another one I should print out to remind myself of daily.
Oh Angie, isn’t it wonderful how Spirit leads us to exactly what we need to hear when we need it? 🙂
Yes it is Christina. I know there are days I don’t want to hear what I need to hear, but am glad he keeps leading me to it.
I like to read blogs, spending a couple of hours a day looking for recipes and ideas, this tugged at my heartstrings as i know how much of a loss it is when your son or daughter takes that turn from cute and needy to the standoffish teenager. You must remember this happens to us all and it does get better. It happened to us too…but we all need and love our parents. Once we get over the terrible teen years.
Yes, I did go through the terrible teens too, Anna. I need to remind myself of that when my own teen is acting the same way.
Even though my children are 8 years apart they fought growing up. Now there are very close and I love it. Thank you for sharing with us at the Merry Monday party! We always look forward to your shares.
I was so touched by this post. I’m the mom of a teenaged boy, too and while I feel like we’re close, I know I could be closer with him. I love this pretty print out to hang up and serve as a reminder to live more intentionally with the ones we love. Thank you for sharing!