What the daughter does, the mother did. — Jewish Proverb

My daughter turned 15 yesterday. I think I’m still in shock.  I am pretty sure I’m not smart enough (and often no patient enough!) to have a child this age. If the past fifteen years are any indication, these next few years will pass by in a flash.  She’ll be headed off to college and I’ll be wondering where the time went. Because of that, I find myself increasingly aware of the ways my attitudes, behaviors, habits, and words have an impact on my girl.

If that Jewish proverb is true, my girl is going to be a reflection of what she learned from me — good and bad. And so, as her time in our home is drawing e ever closer to ending, I’ve been thinking about the most important lessons I hope she learns from me.

Love Jesus.  This one is the most important! I desperately want her to know that loving Jesus and trusting His love for her is the one thing that will never fail, never disappoint.  In a world of broken hearts, broken lives, and broken dreams, I want her to be certain of her relationship with Christ and the sure foundation she has in Him.

Love others.  It’s hard loving others.  Even on the best days, it requires giving up ourselves.  I hope she sees me giving others the benefit of the doubt, extended over-the-top forgiveness, accepting help, serving, and putting others first.

Live simply.  We have been blessed with a beautiful home and lots of “stuff.”  But I want my girl to know life isn’t about the stuff.  A rich beautiful life is best found in simplicity.  I hope she sees me treasure small moments and the gifts of laughter and fellowship.

Long for heaven.  I hope my girl always feels the discontent of being an alien in this world.  I pray she’s never satisfied with what our culture offers but that her heart will yearn for the things of eternity.

Lessen the load for others.  Far too often I allow myself to get too busy to help others.  I strangle myself with commitments and projects and obligations, leaving no margin for serving.  I’m working on this tendency, asking the Lord to cause changes in me.  I want my daughter to see me taking action to help others … serving and coming alongside them to lessen their burdens.

One of the gifts I’ve found in my girl getting older is a better understanding that time is fleeting.  Long gone are the days of naptime and play dates.  But my role as her life-teacher grows in significance as her time of living in our home decreases.  I want to make the best of the few years we have left.

But these are not just lessons for me or my girl, they are lessons I hope I’m teaching all the time … in my Bible study class, as I volunteer in my community, as I speak with others, and as I write.  We are all teaching lessons, leaving an imprint on the lives of those around us — the question we need to ask ourselves is, what lessons are we teaching?