Teenagers – Hope and Be.Longing

Go: A 4-Part Prayer for My Boys

August 22, 2017

I’m trudging through a month of good-byes as my two oldest (and their friends, whom I also love) leave for college. Each morning I pause to listen to Moses speak to the children of Israel as he, too, says good-bye.

And I wonder, how do you say good-bye to your children?

My heart alternately weeps and rejoices with them–these Israelites sitting in the sand–because their story is my story. We both look back and look forward, without looking up. So we settle and listen as we wait in this wilderness beyond the Jordan.

Stories of Hope, Belonging, and Longing

How to Love a Teenager

August 22, 2017

Who in your teen years mentored you? Was it a coach, youth leader, parent, or teacher? What difference did it make in your life?

In my last post, I gave five simple ways to open your home to teenagers. Now I want to add five ways to open your heart.

I spend a good chunk of time parenting my teenage sons and working with the girls in my youth group, and I love it. Here are some of the lessons I am learning:

Be real. Say you don’t know sometimes. Don’t always look perfect. Let them see your messes and hear about your worries. Laugh when you get it wrong. Love them when they are real: sweaty, grumpy, messy, emotional, and honest.
Be flexible. Include that last-minute friend for dinner, or wrap up the leftovers when your teenager decides Qdoba with friends sounds better than your taco salad. Be willing to grab coffee with a teenager when they are free, even if it’s a busy time of day. Allow a little more noise and chaos than you are comfortable with. Bring humor into tension.

Stories of Hope, Belonging, and Longing

Pancakes and Teenagers

August 22, 2017

I came home cold and tired from a long winter run last Saturday morning and there were five teens in my kitchen, four boys and a girl making pancakes. (“Norwedish” pancakes, because in my childhood they were Swedish pancakes, and in my husband’s they were called Norwegians.) I had to navigate through the pitchers of batter, syrup, powdered sugar, and strawberries to make my recovery shake.

I was thankful.

Teenagers need a place to belong, and we want to be one of those places.

It starts with a great relationship with our own teens. And it grows out from there to good friend choices. These two foundations are topics for another post but important to mention first.