Teenagers: The Sweetest Honey Settles at the Bottom of the Cup

Hey Everybody,

I'm trying to kick my Coke habit (as in Coca-Cola, of course!), and lately, I've taken to drinking hot tea with a spoonful of honey. Over the weekend, I was sipping my way through some while working on an article for ParentLife, when the bottom of the cup gave me a sweet surprise: It was the best part! Because I let it sit for a while, most of the honey settled at the bottom. The last drops of tea were the most delicious!

Would you believe it if I told you that I've found this illustration applies perfectly to my teenagers? These last years of parenting are truly the sweetest!

Last Friday night I was totally hogging a friend's baby--I wouldn't let anyone else hold him! He felt precious to me; he smelled so good, he was incredibly cuddly, and his little smile was just adorable. The baby is my dear friend's 5th child. Her oldest is a gorgeous almost-18 year old--one of Danya's best friends. We were visiting together, playing with the baby, enjoying our children, and marveling at how quickly the years of parenting go by. I sometimes miss those early days, but as I held the baby and gazed at our two grown girls, now about to graduate from high school, I knew in my heart the sweetest part of the long drink of motherhood:

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth." (3 John 4)

May I encourage you today in your parenting? Whether your cup is freshly brewed, half full, or nearly drained, every investment you make in the hearts and lives of your kids will pay off.

Tomorrow: How do I make my deposits?