For My Daughters...

After a great and challenging week, I thought deeply about my little girls and had this poem in my head upon waking up yesterday.  I let it simmer and then spent some time today thinking through all I wanted to say to my daughters.  They both have very opinionated tastes about what they wear, how they look and what they like.  I thought about how much God loves them for who they are and wrote this based on the idea that they will look back at some of their fashions they wore in their little ages and ask me:

“Why’d you let me out of the house this way?”

One day you will ask this innocent question

Trying to understand the ramification

That comes from giving a child some freedom,

Choices, opinions and personal affirmation

The clothes and the styles will change year to year

You’re only little once

There are much bigger giants to fear.

There were more important battles to fight

 Questions like “Can God really hear my prayers” and

“I’m scared by myself at night”

“My friends made fun of my teeth at school today”

and “Why does that girl glare at me in that way?”

Battles were picked based on who you’d become

Outer appearance came second to  

Character destroying ones.

As you grow, your clothing doesn’t define you

unlike your actions and words so true.

You’re creative, bright, giggly and defiant.

You’re challenging, brilliant, funny and smiling.

You’re my little girl and I wouldn’t change you.

I only hope to be a main source of encouragement, love and guidance.

You bring light to a room wearing no jewelry at all

You’ll change others lives – no matter how small

You’ll go far in life no matter the shoes

They don’t matter as much as what you pursue.

Your hair has been cut short, long, with some curls

No worries about your hair; you focused on your dancing twirls

I hope as you age that you’ll find this to be true

It’s not the clothes that will ever make you ‘you’

So why did I let you leave the house so eclectic?

My little dear, life was already so hectic.

You deserved respect for your personal taste

It’s something I learned to fully embrace

There’s so much inside that deserves attention

So you could become a lady of mention

As you’ve grown older, I see you maturing

Your love for God is continually reassuring

The focus on who you are deep inside

is what you must focus on and decide

Who you’re going to be each day of your life

As you make your choices each minute, each hour

You’re precious and loving with an open world view

I’m so thankful for how Jesus fashioned you.