Twenty Years From Now

It is so hard to believe that it has been over seven years since Bryan and I were expecting our first bundle. We had such high hopes and lofty dreams. In the 7 years since we became parents, we have both changed so much. As a family we have grown (in number and in experience) and we are learning a little more about life one step at a time.

Twenty years from now my babies will be adults. Adults at the ripe old ages of 22, 25, and 27. That is hard to imagine. By then, they may be married, they may have served church missions, they may be parents themselves. They may have careers and home. I still hope so many things for them. I hope they get to experience a lot.

I hope they... {and some advice for my kids.}

• Value work and work hard {Nothing compensates for lack of a good work ethic. It is important to do your best at everything you do, and do it honestly.}
• Know The value of a dollar. {Be frugal. Save. Think before you buy. Better to learn this sooner than later.}
• Have felt the love of the Lord through service and dedication. {Service is the pure love of Christ, and dedication is faith unwavering. Keep at it even in moments of weakness.}
• Have been on a team. {Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Take pride in what you do, and be there for your teammates, no matter what.}
• Have completed something challenging. {Be it mentally or physically, making a goal and tackling it and finishing it is one of the best feelings in the world.}
• Have planted a garden with vegetables and flowers. {Learn to be self-sufficient and look for beauty in little things.}
• Know how to lose. {There is nothing worse than a sore loser. Shake your opponents hand and look forward to the next try.}
• Love to read. {Books can teach you, take you away, calm, invigorate. Always be reading.}
• Take time by themselves. {It is important for every person to have some time to do what they love, and it is important to relax. It benefits all those around you too.}
• Write letters. {It seems like in 2008, a letter is a thing of the past, but there is nothing better than getting something in the snail-mail. Send Christmas cards. Mail birthday greetings. Say thanks in a note.}
• Have hobbies. {Look for something you love. Maybe you like the guitar like your dad, or you scrapbook like me. Take time to practice and play and enjoy.}
• Keep physically fit. {A good fitness routine is important. It keeps your body healthy, your mind fit and keeps you looking up.}
• Experience life. {Don’t just sit there. Get out! Explore. Look and really see. Take time to live and see the world. Don't be in a big rush to settle down.}
• Know how to win. {Just as important as a good loser, a good winner is gracious and kind. Shake your opponent's hand, and look forward to the next try.}
• Take time to look at the clouds and the stars. {Use your imaginations. Take deep breaths. Relax and see.}
• Are friends with each other. {Friends come and go, but family is forever. Cheesy, I know, but nothing beats a good relationship with siblings. Care about each other. Stay in touch.}
• Cook and eat with their families. {Family dinner is so important. Let everyone talk and share. Enjoy the few minutes away from the chaos.}
• Explore different types of art. {There is art all around. In quilts, nature, books, paintings, flowers, etc. Look for it in your life.}
• Keep a journal. {While it might seem lame, someday, someone will be glad you took the time. Maybe it will be you later in life. Maybe your kids, maybe generations away.}
• Photograph their world. {The world is changing quickly. Get shots of your life how it is. You will want to remember all the little details.}
• Love the Lord. {Make a relationship with the Lord. He is there for you. Always.}
• Look for chances to serve. {Serving others makes your worries seem not so bad. Take the chance to be someone else’s blessing.}

Twenty years is a long time. The world is changing so fast. Over the years, I might add to or take away from my list, but these are things I truly hope for my children in their lives. I hope that they experience sadness so that they know true joy. I hope they experience love, even if it means getting hurt. By no means, am I wishing for them to have sadness, but in life sometimes you have to have sadness and hurt to know happiness.

I am entering this post in Scribbit's March Write-Away contest. Come play along.