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Fri, 2016-08-26 05:00
News Staff
Coffee Talk
Renae Brumbaugh Green
There’s a reason people should have their kids when they’re young. Lots of reasons, actually.
Let me just start by saying, I love my kids. As far as teenagers go, they are two of the best I’ve ever run across. They make good grades. They (mostly) stay out of trouble. Neither of them has ever been wanted by the law, and other adults like them, which speaks volumes. Overall, they do a great job of making me look like I have better parenting skills than I do. Truth is, I’ve made many mistakes, and they’re amazing in spite of me, not because of me.
But although they’re both top-of-the-line brag-worthy adolescents, they wear me out.
Wear. Me. Out.
For starters, they both have Ever-Ready batteries, while I usually run like the original Model T. Slow starting, slow moving, and quick to lose fuel. It’s hard to be “cool mom” when you have to tell them no, you don’t want to watch a movie at this late hour, only to realize it’s not even 8 p.m.
Then there’s the whole technology thing. I have become the old lady who can’t remember her password. Fortunately my kids have all my passwords memorized, from all the times I’ve called and asked them to help me get back into my iTunes account.
They don’t like my music. Whenever I drop my son off at school, he turns my classical music CD off so the guys won’t think he’s a sissy. And I don’t like their music much, either. I mean, it’s okay. But exactly how many ways can Taylor write a scathing song about her ex-boyfriend/ex-friend/ex-whatever? After a while, they all start to sound the same to these old ears.
I will never understand the need for dozens, no hundreds, no thousands of selfies with duck lips, posted to social media with an inspirational quote. And the whole SnapChat thing just makes my head spin. And something called Vine? I’m confused, I tell you.
So. Very. Confused.
It all makes me feel ancient and obsolete.
But somehow, in spite of my lack of anything in the realm of “hip” or “cool,” my kids still need me. The boy child likes the way I make his peanut butter banana breakfast smoothie, served in a wine glass with a strawberry garnish and a straw. Apparently, nobody can work a blender like mom.
And the girl child called me from college the other day to ask what kind of flour she was supposed to buy, because there are “so many choices,” and she just wanted to make homemade macaroni and cheese. We decided all-purpose would suit her needs just fine.
I may be outdated, but nothing will ever change the fact that moms are timeless. No matter how old we get, or how old our kids get, they still need us. We have wisdom. And because we know our children better than anyone, we offer a level of unconditional love and acceptance that they won’t find just anywhere. I know I still need my mom, perhaps more now than I did when I was a teen. Or at least, I’m more aware of how much I need her, and more appreciative.
Many people see God as outdated, and His Word as archaic. But God is timeless, and His wisdom is ageless. He knows us better than anyone, and He loves us unconditionally. When the rest of the world makes us feel substandard and useless, He thinks we’re amazing, and He’s rooting for us to succeed. He may not agree with all my choices, but He understands me and accepts me in spite of them. The older I get, the more appreciative I become of his unchanging nature and everlasting love.
And perhaps the most impressive thing of all—He knows how to do SnapChat.
“But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children,” Psalm 103:17.