What I Hope to Instill in My Children Before They Leave Home...

1. Jesus is your Lord & Savior. Without Him, you are nothing. Your relationship with Him needs to be your #1 priority. Nurture it. Protect it. Devote your time and energy to it. Because of our sinful nature and our natural rebellion, once you lose it, it is very difficult to restore.
2. ALWAYS follow God’s will. If you don’t know God’s will, see #1.
3. Go to church every Sunday – no matter what!
4. Always remember that there is NOTHING God can’t handle. The key is giving it to Him and get out of the way!
5. Understand that life is difficult and hardly ever fair. Always do your very best and work very hard.
6. Tell the truth. Be responsible. Keep your word…they become a part of your character and integrity.
7. Never hesitate to help someone in need.
8. Never, ever hesitate to ask for help in any circumstance.
9. Mistakes and failures are opportunities to gain wisdom and experience. Never be afraid to make them and always apply what you learned.
10. If you always put others first, you will always be able to resolve any conflict.
11. Never hesitate to say you’re sorry. If you truly mean it, it can be the most powerful statement in a relationship.
12. Always have close friends that you can depend on, trust, and laugh A LOT with.
13. Never pass up an opportunity to try something new. It never hurts to try something at least once as long as it isn’t harmful to yourself or others.
14. Always, always, always be kind and respectful to others no matter who they are. You never know what a person has endured or what they are going through.
15. Know WHAT you believe, WHY you believe it and HOW to defend it.
16. There is a vast, exciting world out there just waiting for you. After you graduate high school, take a year to travel and experience it before you start college.
17. Before you decide on a career, take every personality and career test you can. Have a good understanding of who you are, what your passions are, and what you would like to accomplish in life.
18. Understand that you will not make it far in this world without a degree or learning a specific trade.
19. Choose a career that you enjoy doing and are passionate about. Remember, you will be doing it for the next 40-50 years of your life.
20. Learn everything you possibly can regarding finances.
21. Do NOT go into debt. If you don’t have the money – don’t buy it!
22. As much as we don't want it to be, understand that money and financial security are key to leading a stress-free life. This doesn’t mean that you have to be rich to be happy – it means that you need to be financially secure and live within your means.
23. Start investing in a 401k as soon as you possibly can. The earlier the better…even if it’s just $50/month. Do not touch this money for ANY reason!
24. Be VERY disciplined with your money. Save 10%, tithe 10%, and invest any extra funds you may have.
25. Date a variety of people. This will help you understand the type of spouse you are interested in spending the rest of your life with.
26. Love, sex, and marriage are sacred. Take them very seriously.
27. While God gave us the beautiful gifts of marriage and parenting, understand that both require a tremendous amount of work and grace.
28. Do not consider marriage until you are 28-30 years old.
29. Marry someone who is passionate about the same things you are.
30. Once you are married ALWAYS honor your spouse in every circumstance.
31. Never stop showing your spouse how much you love him/her and show it often.
32. Never stop learning. You will appreciate your education and gain even more knowledge if you have a thirst to learn.
33. You will never know everything and everyone you meet can teach you something.
34. Learn to appreciate the very simple things in life…dancing in the rain, a mug of hot chocolate on a cold day, building a snowman, wildflowers, laughter, friendship, puppies, music, warm cookies…
35. Exercise and stay active. Eat healthy and get plenty of rest. You will be surprised how it influences your life from your day-to-day activities to major decisions. The healthier you are the more you will enjoy life…especially in the late years.
36. Play as much as you can. Never suppress the child inside of you. Being footloose and fancy-free can be such a release.
37. Do everything you want to do before you have children. They truly do change your lifestyle.
38. Once you have children, make them a priority and don’t let a day go by without expressing your love to them. It is truly amazing how quickly they grow up and out of your reach.
39. To children, time is love. Always clear a spot in your schedule for them.
40. Understand ahead of time that your children WILL make mistakes and you need to let them. It may be the most important thing they do as they grow up.
41. Always be willing to listen and respect ANY child or teenager. You would be surprised how much they can enlighten you.