Zip It!

Zippers are the one thing that I despise and avoid as a seamstress.  I don't like putting them in, so generally try not to work with them.  But when something goes wrong in a piece of clothing, it's generally the zipper.  The teeth get bent and the zipper refuses to close properly.  Unless you replace it, the garment is generally useless.

Just like faulty zippers, there are times that I need to properly keep my mouth closed.  If I don't, then the words I speak, no matter how right and good they are, become faulty.  This is especially true of my adult children.

I've struggled with this a LOT lately.  I see my young adults making mistakes, or not being wise and I so want to correct them.  However, when I open my mouth and let my words of wisdom and knowledge 😉 flow out, it is met with resistance, defensiveness and anger.  And that, in turn, sparks my anger and I want to pour out words that aren't so wise or kind.

So this past year has been another period of learning for me.  Learning to allow my kids to make some mistakes without correcting them constantly.  Allowing them some room for growing pains.  And learning to just take my anxiousness to the Lord and let him work in their lives.  The choices they are making aren't catastrophic or detrimental to them, just not necessarily what I would do.  And that's okay.

Quoting words of wisdom or bible verses to them doesn't work.  In fact, as Christians, they already know what they should do.  But sometimes, it takes me letting them work it out themselves for them to get to the right conclusion.  And sometimes, the conclusion they come to may look differently than how I would do something.  And that is part of being an adult.

So, I'm installing a zipper on my mouth and keeping it closed.  If they come to me and ask my advice, I will offer it.  However, I am trying to keep calm, not react and learn to trust God for my children's well-being.  It's not an easy lesson, but I'm getting there.  The zipper wants to keep coming undone, but it's staying closed longer! 😉