Monday, November 3, 2014

Trick Or Treat? Teaching My Children About Choices

I was surprised when my twelve-year old
asked to go "trick or treating"

with his friends...

at night
alone

and when he returned
(two hours later with a bag full of loot)

my jaw dropped

and THEN...

moments later when he called me into the kitchen
to show me how he had meticulously separated the candy

into piles...
by flavor and brand

I will admit that I was impressed!


and as I looked at

all of those piles
all of those options

the realization hit me

My kid is a young man

and he is already cultivating

skills
dreams
ideas

of his own

(and at some point) 

I am going to have to completely let go and trust that I have
done my job to equip him with good decision making skills

because the day is coming
(and is now upon us)

when he will

venture out

with his friends...

at night
alone

and as he walks through this life he will encounter people
who wish to fill his bag with all sorts of things

some tricks
some treats
some things

that he will find useful
and others that he will not

And so...


-my prayer is that he avoid as many tricks
as humanly possible

-that he be brave enough to unwrap and try some things
(and wise enough to leave others alone)

-I pray he knows the difference and
doesn't try to eat everything all in one night

-I pray his decisions steer him clear of
stomach aches and cavities

-and may he always remember to separate the items
to get a better view of the options laid out before him
-----------------------------

Lord,

one day he will venture out
without me

and I want to

trust
believe
know

that I have prepared him
with the skills that he needs to make

good
wise
prayerful

decisions

with the choices laid out before him...


Choose wisely, son
Choose wisely