The Critical Inch

There are no courses we can take.Nor enough prayers that we can throw up to the heavens to prepare us for parenthood. And just when we think we know what we are doing our angels become teenagers.One year we had seven teens living in our home at the same time-we were on our knees a lot.We have no children at home now but as strange as this may sound I miss being a parent.Over the years we had three home grown kids and dozens of others kids that we were parents to.We have times when we honestly don't know what to do. It seems hopeless.We think someone else could raise them or do a better job.I gave up on a few kids. It is so easy to tell yourself it is for the greater good and that life would be so much easier for everyone. My advice to my own children about the grands is to tell them you will love them through anything and I will never give up on you.We all lose our way sometimes.Getting older has simplified my life. I'd much rather be kind than to be right.My way or the highway sounds good but WWJD .      I call it the critical inch.When things go bad and we have to respond to something we are totally unprepared for. It happens a lot in the teenage years. Trust me there is a battle raging and we must soldier on.As Winston Churchill once said ,"never,never give up".