13 Things I Want My 13 Year-Old Daughter to Know

I am officially the mother of a teenager.  I'm thrilled, excited, scared.

In honor of my oldest daughter's thirteenth birthday yesterday, I'm recording 13 things I want her to remember in the coming years.

1.  Your family members will always be your best friends.

2.  Focus first on pleasing God, not people.

3.  Be comfortable with who you are and others will be, too.

4.  Make many sweet memories and few regrets.

5.  No matter how lofty the highs or how deep the lows, God is there.

6.  Be curious.  Don't limit your education to textbooks or the classroom.

7.  Serve others, especially those much older and much younger than yourself.

8.  Don't give your heart away too soon.  Wait for a man of character, one like your dad and your granddaddy.

9.  Every once in a while do something fun and unexpected - surprise yourself!

10.  Be loyal.

11.  Any time, any where, if you call us, we will come.

12.  Find something you can be passionate about and then live your dream.

13.  You are loved as you are, my precious daughter, and my sister in Christ.

What an amazing gift are the lives of the children with which we are entrusted!  May we ever seek God's wisdom as we rear them to walk with Him.