Adolescents and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
Posted: December 31, 2011 Filed under: Parenting, Spirituality, Thoughts 2 Comments »
I remember being 19. It was heady. I knew everything, had no fear, and I saw life as full of opportunity. I was anxious to explore freedom and couldn’t wait to get away from the chains that held me back. I actually thought I was smarter than everyone else. I was not open to advice, and I couldn’t wait to make my mark. My only restriction, as I saw it, was money. If I just had a good cash flow, I would slay any dragon put before me.
Now, 30 years removed from that time, I’m watching someone I love very much make decisions based on a similar worldview. I am grieving the future loss of his innocence.
When I was 19, I knew I could try out some of my dreams, and if they didn’t work out, I’d just step back into my old life and continue on as if nothing had changed. The problem with that thinking? Everything changed.
Over the course of the next five years of my life, by the time I was 25, I had acquired experiences that changed me forever; I was enveloped by addictions that I still wrestle with, and some of my actions disqualified me for some of my current dreams. I can’t go back, I can’t go home again, and because of those few years of my life, I’m no longer innocent. I’ve tasted the forbidden fruit – and I’ll never be the same.
”disobedience and lack of trust that changed her”
Surrender, part 3
Posted: December 16, 2011 Filed under: God Encounters, Spirituality, Thoughts 4 Comments »
Sometimes – usually – it is outside of our control.
In fact, almost everything in my life is outside of my control. And yet, I have this incredible need to feel like I have some input. But I don’t.
My schedule, my travel, even when I am awake or asleep – all of these are influenced by various people and entities. All of these require some form of compromise, communication, and cooperation.
About the only thing I actually can do on my own, is rearrange the icons on the desktop of this computer.
Are Your Teens Prepared for the Temptations
Posted: December 13, 2011 Filed under: Parenting, Thoughts 2 Comments »This time of year we hear a lot of music that we don’t normally hear. Some of it isn’t actually Christmas music, but we only hear it during the holiday season. As I drove to work the other morning, a song came on the radio that stirred up those usual warm Christmastime feelings. It’s a very well written song, usually performed by Dean Martin and Doris Day. And then I listened to the words.
Here are the lyrics to Baby it’s Cold Outside – which are amazing really.
