Ahhhhhhhh, the Holidays

I heard a song this morning, by Steven Curtis Chapman - part of it was -
“I was the kid in the home, red hair, no family of my own… what I need for Christmas is a home…”
ohhhh that’s beautiful, take this sweet soul in, and their life will be changed forever… that’s the picture I had too, then we started our family. Our house did NOT look like a Rockwell painting.
All around us we have biological, adopted, step, extended family, church family, even in-laws - With our blended families, we should be able to show our love and appreciation, but it seems like the holidays bring out the sibling rivalry and selfishness.
When we’re young, we take the older generations for granted - after all, they’re kinda screwy, and totally out of touch with the “real” world. They just talk and talk, and get in the way….. As we get older, we should learn to appreciate what they’ve done for us, and try to follow their example. But it seems like that’s where the splits come - I needed this, you never did that, you won’t listen to me… I wonder when the perfect age will come that both will see the other’s efforts and accomplishments ---
We have become family, biological or not. We pour our hearts into their well-being, growth, trying to give them fond memories of their early years ---so many choose to walk away. That’s the part I don’t get ---
There are as many ways to tear apart a family as there are family members. When we bring a child in to the family, we have high hopes for their bright future --- unfortunately, they have to accept it, and work toward it. Some just feel it’s beyond them, and fight against the possibility of living in our society… we will forever be thought of as the “pretend” parents, not really knowing what to do for them cuz they didn’t pop out of my body. Honestly, the geography of gestational growth doesn’t give a person the ability to make all the right decisions on behalf of the one they carried.
We’ve tried advise from teachers, church and family members to come up with the best plan we could - and still, they have to accept it, and know they are worth it - no strings attached, no taking it back…. We can force our beliefs and rules on them for a time, but they ultimately have to accept limits, and choose to cooperate with someone…
I’ve gone through the list of things I’ve done wrong, push them too hard, not expect enough. Some days, I feel like I’ve failed miserably, but I try not to stay there too long - there are no guarantees with kids, and I’m not the only influence in their life. Having teens keeps my prayer life active!  I’m learning to give it to God a little more each day.
What DOES help for now, is to let them know we are praying for them, and they are WORTH it.
Here’s to the holidays!
Pray we all survive to the New Year!!!