Reflection!

Children are honest.   Teenagers are honest.   If I ever feel like my life is coming together then I just ask my teenage/pre-teen daughters to evaluate me as a mother.  All of the sudden I go from feeling like mother of the year to wondering how I even function in the real world.   People always tell me that raising a teenager is difficult.  You should try raising three teenage daughters as a single mother in a foreign country!   Sometimes, I feel like I am on a roller coaster ride with my eyes shut tight and holding on for dear life. 

One day I was standing in the kitchen talking to my oldest daughter.   I do not remember the topic of the conversation, but I remember her making this comment, “The only time I ever get in trouble is when I act like you”.  She said it so nonchalant.   Probably because she knew that I couldn’t argue with her about this statement.   She and I share a lot of the same characteristics.  Usually I like to have the last word, but I did not respond to her comment.   

I thought about this comment for the next several days.   She was right.   She is a reflection of me.   Every time I lose patience with people.   When my tongue is sharp towards the people that I love the most.   When I try to justify my need for control.  When I think it is important to have the last word.  When life is good but I don’t stop to thank the Lord.  

I thought about the past several years of my life.   What type of reflection am I being to my girls?   The daughters who see me behind closed doors.  The ones who see me when things are not easy.   The ones who see me when life is really good.   

I thought about the bold statement of Paul in 1 Corinthians: 

“Follow my example, as I follow Christ.”  

One day my daughters will experience another storm of life.   They will experience the spiritual growth through fear, the unknown, the confusion.   Will they be able to follow my example because I reflect the heart of Christ?     

My daughters will also experience many good things in life.   They will prosper.   They will experience immense joy.   But will they immediately give God the glory for every single good thing?  

I want them to be a reflection of Christ. To Go. To Give. To Serve. To Have Joy. To Worship. To Forgive. To be a Peacemaker. To be Obedient. To Have an Eternal Perspective.

(A quick story about my daily struggles in life: The parking spaces in Guatemala are made for the smallest cars possible.  I am horrible at parking.  I really don’t park—I just stop.   But there are “Parking Police” everywhere in Guatemala.  One of the parking police was telling me what a horrible job I was doing at parking.   So I argued with him.  My girls were with me.  They were watching my response.  They were listening to me.   I was immediately convicted by the Lord.   I bought the man an apple pie and apologized to him as he was only doing his job.   When we got home I apologized to my girls.   I told them that there are many ways that I want them to be a reflection of me but this was not one of them.   My middle daughter said “Oh there are many reasons that I don’t want to be like you.”  My heart sank.  I looked at her perplexed and asked her to give me some examples.   She responded “You wear v-neck shirts.  I don’t look good in v-neck shirts.  And I never want to be a principal of a school.  I don’t even really like children.”  I am perfectly fine with her not wanting to be a reflection of my fashion sense or job title!)