Be a Barnabas

I am finding that as a mother, I sometimes have a critical spirit.  I never thought of my way of correction as critical until listening to a radio program on Moody Radio.  I have a 9 year old step daughter and she is very different than me in personality and many other ways.  She has lots of energy and is in constant motion, while I like to sit and read or play a board game.  She loves to put on concerts where she starts over each time she makes a mistake while I was taught that if you make a mistake while singing, just keep singing and no one will notice.  I loved school and work hard at being an overachiever and getting straight A's.  She likes to learn but doesn't enjoy having to sit still in a classroom all day and doesn't get worked up about making a mistake.  We are about as different as different can be, but neither way we approach life is wrong.  We both love life and enjoy it.   But I have begun to notice that if she doesn't do things my way, I can often be critical.  I seem to think my way is right, and sometimes get caught up in arguing my point.  But does it really matter if she sings the exact right lyrics to a song?  Or if she wears her hair in a fountain shape on the top of her head?  Or wears flip flops in winter.  She has plenty of time to learn about life and how things work.  One of her girlfriends will show her a new way to wear her hair.  And someone will play her a new song that she will love and will listen to over and over again until she sings it in her sleep.  What is most important thing is that she knows I love her.  Kids need to hear that we love them.  They need to hear we are proud of them.  That we appreciate them.  And they need lots of hugs and loving touch.  The world will beat them up enough without us joining in.  Be a Barnabas in their lives.  Encourage them.  Lord help us to see our children through your eyes, as your perfect creation.