boundaries

life has boundaries.
i remember growing up wondering why i couldn't do certain things.
why do i have to "wait 'til i'm older"??
now that i have kids, i am grateful for these boundaries.
and i am grateful my mom taught me, so now i can teach my kids.

i was talking to a recent convert to our church. she has a teenage daughter and was expressing to me some concerns she had. it has made me ponder.
how grateful and blessed i am to have been born in the church.
i am grateful that i am able to put up *guard rails* in my childrens' lives while i teach them the gospel.
gradually, these guard rails will be placed further and further apart.
to where eventually they will be down and the consequences to their choices will be up to them.

how much easier is it to have these guard rails up NOW, so we can guide them?
it is easier to take them down when they get older, then try to put them up when they are older.

i LOVE the book: parenting with love and logic.
if you haven't read it yet, i highly recommend it! {and if you could find mine for me, that would be great!}
it is a GREAT way to teach your kids how you can show them love through disciplining them.
in my opinion... if you don't disciple, you aren't showing them love.
my mom always says, "you'd rather them cry now, than you cry later"!

i am grateful the Lord has given us guard rails (the commandments) to guide us through this wicked world.
when we obey, we will be HAPPY. and full of JOY.