01/31/12

 

The other night as I was doing my devotions, Mikayla came into my room.  It was late, but she wanted to talk.  I remember having thoughts I wanted to talk about right before I went to bed, too.  I wonder if it is because as we get ready to settle down, things that we have thought of all day will not let us get to sleep unless we talk about them.

Nevertheless, I was happy to stop what I was doing and listen.

She is going through the typical things of an eleven year old girl.  There are friends that seem to leave, new friends that come, she is trying to find out who she is in this world without turning into what she sees around her.  She is at an age where the talking needs to become more frequent and the listening needs to happen with understanding.

I remember being eleven.  I remember how catty the girls could be.  I remember wanting to be a part of a certain group of girls or wanting to act like someone "cool" because then other people would like me more.

I could say to her that she doesn't need to worry about all of this stuff and she will get past it in time.  I could say she's young and doesn't need to be concerned with all of this.

BUT.

She is eleven.

This is her real life right now.

I need to be there so that she will come to me every time she is concerned or just wants to talk.

The words I tried to keep repeating to her were "I understand."

I do want to understand and just not put her feelings aside.  I want her to know that I have faced the same fears or worries and that her best way to get through it is to talk it over with the Lord.  I also told her to always stand up for what is right whether those around her are or not.

Being a kid in this world is not an easy thing.  I think it is harder now than it was when I was growing up.  

It did my Mom's Heart good when she left my room telling me thank you for the advice.

I do pray she will always come to me and feel that way.  I pray she will trust me enough.