Get LIT!
Get what?! What does LIT mean? Is it a celebration that catapults you into your future? Do you see your potential there? It is the light within us that is confusing, not the darkness. The end or beginning of an era, brings questions to surface. Certainly you are a child of God. We all have a light inside of us waiting to shine. Is that what we mean by being lit? The talents that lie within are different for everyone. If you do something productive that makes you happy and helps others, whatever that may be, you may never work a day in your life for a paycheck.
I was large and in charge of my life, my destiny and my children, or so I thought. Sin and pride seep into our lives daily. It can be a battle to turn those “proud” moments into pure gratefulness, for what we have been gifted. It is easy to puff up and say what a excellent job we did as students, parents, spouses or employees, to millions, at any moment, a perk of social media.
As graduation season is upon us, I continue to see that “P” word thrown about, every which way. Years of experience has engrained into life, that as soon as you feel “pride” for someone, they will most assuredly sin. That person could feel immense loss after being built up by those around them. Indeed, loss is part of learning. Today, mistakes that could have been taught privately in years past, can quickly throw someone into deep despair. Social media tosses it to the frenzy of people, waiting to devour and judge. It happens daily, in seconds.
Students celebrating a milestone, such as a graduation want to have fun. A party involving underage drinking or drug use, can quickly find themselves sitting in a jail cell instead of the honor of a college class room or future career. It is NOT worth the few hours of delirium of “I made it” only to find out you didn’t exactly “make it.” Parents that encourage this behavior may believe “they will do it anyway, may as well have the party here and I will look the other way” are not helping anyone.
Know that not all high school graduates are on the college path. Just because you may be, does not mean that dreams of a different direction, are less important. This world we live in is much larger than your hometown. There are college bound students that may get to school and realize that being near family is more important to them. There are students that would like to go away to college and may not be for many reasons. There are college graduates praying for employment before student loans become due. Please look outside yourself and know how blessed we ALL are in different ways.
Congratulations graduates to the first of many milestones in your life! Your parents and family love you! They want you to enjoy life and see the awesome possibilities of tomorrow coming your way. Your Father in heaven loves you beyond words. Our God is an awesome God and wants the best for you! He also allows you, FREE WILL. Free will is something you must handle with care. Just because you FEEL invincible, does not mean that you ARE. Confidence is a wonderful trait, with limits. You have been blessed to receive an education. You may apply that in the world, at either a job, marriage, parenting, education or all of the above.
Before I had a family, I thought a career and money would bring happiness. Not just any career, but one that brought a large paycheck! Certainly having money would make life easier! After marriage, twice…An unexpected blessing of a child was gifted to our family. Never had I experienced such deep love, as I did for our family. Much to my husbands surprise, his career driven other half, decided to work several part time jobs to be able to stay home during the day with our child. It was hard work, but worth every moment. As our family grew, the juggling between work, family and home mounted. I thought we needed a larger home to make things “easier” with more space. Certainly THIS would be a good move! The more “things” you need for happiness, the harder you must “work” each day. What seemed like overnight, our first born left for college. After losing him in an accident, all of these goals I had set, thinking they could be reached through my own drive and success, vanished. What a gift to realize how little control we truly have in this life. A relief that I was not “in charge,” as I had once believed.
But wait! We had taught our children to fully depend on us! Indeed, we taught them right from wrong, hard work and love! We encouraged them to treat others the way they would like to be treated. However, we were not always going to be there to protect them and check their choices. Their heavenly Father is ALWAYS there, as He is for us. His direction, is in the “Good Book” that had collected dust on the shelf for many years, as we strived to be “successful” on our own. We were in church each week with our children, yet somehow sin, kept us from seeing our own weakness, to fully trust God with the gifts HE had given!
These written words come from the heart of a grieving Mother. One that has deep love for you as you read this. I humbly ask that you direct your children to depend on our heavenly Father. The ONE that is forever, as free will choices are being made, that could quite possibly determine their fate. Children, know that your parents gave, to the best of their ability as you grew, learned and (mostly) loved one another. Parents, please respect the authorities of city, state and school where you were blessed to raise your children. Graduates, stay strong, diligent, faithful, humble and serve others as you continue to grow in this world. The best gift you have to give, is in the talents God gave you. Do not blame Him or others for events that happen in your life. His plan for you is not one of demise. Use the gift of free will carefully. Stay in His word daily. Life may have mountains to go over and stones thrown your way to dodge, but know, that through prayer, you will see blessings. It is all in how you handle what comes your way. Choose to look up and be happy!
Get LIT, by finding the LIGHT inside, GIVEN to YOU from GOD. Let your light shine by being LIT for HIM. It will pull others out of the darkness into HIS true LIGHT. Congrats to all families celebrating a milestone this season!
Peace & Blessings,
MamaC
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
“He gave you life, don’t waste it!” Dr. C Ham
