Originally given equally a talk in 2017

It was a typical morning commute from my apartment in La Palma to my Culver Urban center function. I was in my mid-twenties, unmarried, and listening to my morn show, "Focus on the Family" with Dr. James Dobson, renowned psychologist, author, and speaker. I loved his wisdom, faithfulness, and delivery to supporting the family. I wanted to store up as much wisdom every bit I perchance could. My hope was to take a family of my own someday.  This particular morning time he was talking about the dilemma increasingly facing moms: that of staying at home with their children or working to help with the pressing financial issues. What Dr. Dobson said that morning astonished me! The proficient medico said if you have to cull whether to stay home with them as toddlers or as teens, he would say, hands down, every time - stay at home when they are teens! To back up his communication, Dr. Dobson went on to explain how the last iv years at home were the most critical ones; likewise, jokingly, he added that any tantrums, resistance, and colorful behavior yous may have missed in the toddler years will be there waiting to resurface for y'all in the teen years. The precious transition from childhood to adulthood that nosotros phone call adolescence provides enough of opportunities to revisit whatsoever and, quite frankly, all of the fascinating depths of the child's personality and their want for direction and mastery.

Dr. Dobson did not let me downwardly. Fast frontwards xx years, and there I was in the midst of information technology! He prepared me for the wonderful, colorful journeys to adulthood of the amazing multifariousness of personalities in my family. A much quoted idiom comes to my mind when I call back about the raising and the schooling of my teens:

"It was the best of times,

Information technology was the worst of times,

It was the historic period of wisdom,

Information technology was the age of foolishness…"

(Dickens' Tale of 2 Cities)

To say I was completely equipped for this daunting task would be ridiculous! How grateful I have been throughout the years to cover my littleness, equally St. Therese the Picayune Bloom modeled so well.  Information technology was, and still is, a relief that all I demand to be is willing to say yeah and do the next right thing.

The trend with mod parents of teens seems to be twofold from where I sit down: let them become and hold on tight. On the one hand, teens are treated equally children, incapable of any self-command or mastery, not even considered able to make their own decisions, and not worthy of much trust in practice (I refer to this as helicopter parenting, where parents only hover over their kids). Their teens' time is scheduled from early waking hours to belatedly at night. They are busy with school, extracurricular activities, piece of work, and mounds of homework with very little sleep. Parents use loftier tech tracking devices to always know their children's whereabouts and are constantly online viewing grades. Parents are non only tracking their every motion; they are planning them. Even so, it seems these clever teens are quite able, if motivated, to beat 'the system' and then to speak. It is a 'let them go and hold on tight' at the same time…controlling all the activities with a 'more is better' attitude to make their children smarter and more successful, creating that fatty resume for higher.

Only with all of that involvement and oversight, there is trivial to no time actually spentwith their child.  For some reason they want all the control, but notime with them. Why is that? Do adults dislike the teen years and so much? Are they scared they don't know how to deal with them? Control and scheduling does non equal guidance and training; instead, it demolishes interpersonal relationships between the teen and parent. Do these parents really know their children? And just equally importantly, do their children really know them?

Permit us have this a step further. Plainly this highly controlled situation is ripe for the teen to button back, break through, discover some fourth dimension to breathe and have some sort of 'say' in their lives. It seems that more than often than not, this 'say' happens exterior the realm of parental discussion. Frequently that 'vocalism' they find is choosing to be independent in a manner that is non and then healthy. It may beginning with a little white lie, or forgetting to mention where they went betwixt signal A and indicate B.

Information technology can lead to heavier and more unsafe situations where they are exposed to drugs, drinking, unhealthy relationships, cheating. Don't get me wrong, this can happen even in very wonderful homes, merely information technology is less probable with Mom at home.

Many children exercise not go that route, but information technology does set them up for rebellion. They rightly want some control over their lives and this model of helicopter parenting sets them up for failure and immaturity.

This is my observation of the evolution of high school life since I was there…style back in the dark ages of the 70'due south.

How do you want your teen to be when they leave the house? Do yous nonetheless want to be scheduling their every move? How will they know how to do that on their own if the parent does it all? How will they learn to recollect for themselves, and more chiefly, how will they learn to make the right decisions if all their decisions are fabricated for them?

When Dr. Dobson spoke of the demand for a parent at home, I reflected, of grade, on my own teen years: my dad was starting a new concern and traveled most weeks, and my mom stayed at habitation. I really loved her being there when I returned, most days by ii:thirty. I do remember her presence meant a lot to me; it was like a safe net. I enjoyed existence able to talk to her well-nigh things that came up. I also wasn't scheduled every day of the week into the dinner hour, nor did I accept homework until late at night. At that place was time. So what does this have to do with homeschooling? That key treasure: time, and how it is used.

It wasn't until I started homeschooling that I realized how much better the conversations were with my children throughout the course of the day than I remembered having with my folks. How unique the topics would be, seemingly out of nowhere. I could be in the centre of a math word problem with a kid and something would trigger them to ask a totally unrelated question that had been rolling effectually in their head. For example, "Why are dreams and then weird?" or "What does ____ hateful?" With homeschooling I've had time. Time to end and listen and discuss.  With my wonderful folks, they were nowadays for usa, withal there was limited time as I was in schoolhouse, or doing some homework, or talking with my friends on the phone. Many of the thoughts that ran through my head during the day were shared with the student sitting side by side to me or the grouping at lunch, or I was too afraid to bring them upward because it might exist "weird". How much more than thatfourth dimension matters in the Final Iv Years! The countdown, the last stretch, the big kahuna of parenting. Those precious, golden, fragile, heady, exhausting years! Why would I miss them? Higher SAT scores? For a sports squad? A prom? I am not saying those things are bad in themselves; it'south good for them to exist in sports and go to prom too, but it is not the priority. I practice believe in advocating for the teens in making sure they are well-rounded, of course.

I submit to you that our lodge is extending the immaturity quotient of our youth needlessly - and it keeps going. It is my opinion that a lot of that growing length of childhood is a effect of such low expectations and controlling. You don't accept to go dorsum too far in history to meet younger children assuming roles of groovy responsibility in their home and for the greater good of the family. A young apprentice leaving abode at 11 or 12, the family all working the subcontract, a little gal of 10 being the woman of the house preparing meals, mending, running things, etc. The families needed the children to contribute. They expected it, and they were capable.

We seem, as a lodge, to accept retentivity loss - non only are teens treated as youngsters, just they are encouraged to remain that fashion, particularly men, well into their twenties. Look at the films they are peddling to twenty-something men, such as "The Hangover". Do y'all recall the roar of applause in 2013 at the Knox College commencement when and so-President Obama announced the extension of wellness care on their folks' programme until the age of 26?

Where are the adults? Is it lack of adequacy or expectation? Where is the integrity? I submit to you lot that investing in "The Final Four" of your high school teen's years volition have long lasting effects, effects not only on your kid's life and yours, but on the greater good of society.

St. Augustine once said, "I learned most not from those who taught me but from those who talked with me." At that place it is: fourth dimension!

Who will your teens be spending their time talking with, all solar day, every twenty-four hour period, if they are enrolled in a brick and mortar school? More often than not, their peers. How much wisdom is available for them there?

And so the main question I want to pose to you is this: how did we get to homeschooling in the kickoff place and do the reasons still fit for loftier school? My journey to homeschooling started in 1993 on a Lord's day morning. Nosotros attended Mass at our new parish, St. Kilian'southward in Mission Viejo. We met a lovely family, the Christensens, with v children. Nosotros were so impressed with their family during Mass, and they were so reverent and engaged (the children's ages ranged from i-nine). Later Mass the conversation with all of them was then enjoyable, and they were bright eyed, courteous, and articulate children. We had to know the hush-hush, as nosotros were but starting our family unit (we just had Eileen at the fourth dimension). The reply, to my utter shock and horror, was "Nosotros homeschool!" Nooooo!! No style! I am non that smart…I am non that earthy…I am not that dauntless!

We became family unit friends with the Christensens. I knew I didn't have to consider schooling for iii or four years, just I had to ask…why in the earth would you do that to yourself? Lindsey, the brave and brilliant homeschool mom, said, "Then nosotros have fourth dimension as family unit." That was it, and information technology nevertheless is.

Every time I accept been tempted to throw in the towel on homeschooling, that give-and-take is right at that place staring at me. Time. At that place is no getting it back. I retrieve Dr. Dobson's wisdom from so long ago. So how on earth was I going to do this? God was merciful and led me to Female parent of Divine Grace School right out of the gate!

I am a large fan of praying for Wisdom! I accept always appreciated Rex Solomon's asking, and the response from Our Lord was not lost on me either. I am a seeker of the Wise and love to sit at their anxiety: the Bible, lives of the Saints, my parents, grandparents, Godparents, many spiritual directors, honey friends, and confessors. I have a favorite saying, "Why reinvent the wheel?" Look for the experts - like Laura Berquist.

Why aren't many moms homeschooling into high schoolhouse? Is information technology because they're scared they're not smart enough? They tin can convince themselves that they tin teach add-on and subtraction, but they may not recollect algebra and geometry. Maybe they didn't write well as a student so they don't believe they could teach that well enough to their kids. That is exactly how I felt, and often still feel. However there is help bachelor by wonderful experts to assist me from classes to tutors, and all of my children did very well in spite of my weaknesses. I likewise learned a flake by default!

God has provided for every circumstance we have come upon throughout the years, and those of you who know me better tin vouch for that!

I do non present to you a model of perfection in my personal life. I practice not present to you lot a flawless family. Far from it. I practise non claim perfect parenting, schooling or case, only what I exercise merits is that I hadtime with my children until they became adults. I do claim that they had to be family whether or not they liked information technology at the time. I do merits that my children have absolute clarity on what it is to own their life, take personal responsibleness for their choices, and work through relationships. I exercise claim they know the Truth! They are equipped to know, love, and serve God in their lives. There is zippo I consider more important than my children's conservancy. It is on them now, but they tin can never say they weren't taught the Truth, because I took the fourth dimension (a lot of it, and much of it seemed to exist at midnight!).

What most the academics? I read a very interesting extract from a new book titledThe Souvenir of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go so Their Children tin Succeed, by Jessica Lahey. A educatee's female parent came to her with concerns about her daughter:

"Marianna's grades are fine; I'thousand not worried virtually that, merely she just doesn't seem to love learning anymore."

To which the author continues:

"She's absolutely right. I'd noticed the same thing nearly her daughter over the previous two or three years. I'd been her middle school English language, Latin, and writing instructor, and I have an answer, right at that place on the tip of my natural language, for what has gone wrong. Yet, I'm torn between my responsibility to help Marianna and the knowledge that what I have to say is a truth I'm not sure this mother is ready to hear.

The truth - for this parent then many others - is this: Her kid has sacrificed her natural curiosity and love of learning at the altar of accomplishment, and it'due south our error. Marianna's parents, her teachers, social club at large - we are all implicated in this crime against learning. From her outset day of schoolhouse, nosotros pointed her toward that altar and trained her to mensurate her progress past ways of points, scores, and awards. We taught Marianna that her potential is tied to her intellect, and that her intellect is more important than her grapheme. We taught her to come dwelling proudly bearing A's, championship trophies, and college acceptances, and we inadvertently taught her that we don't really intendance how she obtains them.  We taught her to protect her academic and extracurricular perfection at all costs and that it'due south better to quit when things get challenging rather than risk marring that perfect record. Above all else, we taught her to fear failure. That fearfulness is what has destroyed her love of learning."

This is coming from an educator of a brick and mortar school. Ms. Lahey went on to hash out that Marianna is affirmed everyday on how smart she is and high-achieving. "Marianna does not get praised for the diligence, and endeavour she puts into sticking with a hard math problem or a convoluted scientific inquiry. If that answer at the terminate of the folio is wrong, or if she arrives at a dead terminate in her inquiry, she has failed - no matter what she has learned from her struggle. And contrary to what she may believe, in these more difficult situations she is learning. She learns to be artistic in her trouble solving. She learns diligence. She learns self-command and perseverance. But because she is scared to decease of failing, she has started to have fewer intellectual risks."

I detest to say this, only information technology reminds me of myself in school and is a personal battle every time; hence I am continuing in front of you, fighting the fight. I am similar Marianna in that I was not confident enough in my abilities to try my best, for fear of failure and confirming my deep fear that I am not actually smart plenty. What a crippling way to perceive learning! But this is what even our best brick and mortar schools are perpetuating. Where is the fourth dimension to effort and fail, and try and neglect again? To master something? Through no fault of their own, the public or Catholic schoolhouse systems simply don't accept the time! Laura points out the value of affirming students' efforts over affirming their smarts. But in school systems, in that location is nottime to learn for the sake of learning. Loftier schools have to be efficient and mainstream. "What's the best way to teach enough basics to as many people as possible?" Information technology'southward a business; information technology's not educational activity in life or academics.

Aristotle said, "Educating the listen without educating the middle is no education." I homeschool high schoolhouse considering as a Catholic mom, the center is everything.I am trying to raise holy adults. My job is to provide the opportunity to point them in the correct direction, to create an environs for them to learn the art of learning, and to listen! To give them time - myfourth dimension.

In an article by Auren Hoffman (CEO of SafeGraph), he answers a question about the way in which many successful people spent their fourth dimension growing upwardly. Mr. Hoffman gives us some of the virtually common, and they all involve lots of solitary time. (This piggybacks on what Laura says - to learn to think critically, 1 needs fourth dimension lone to reverberate.)

  1. Reading is actually important! And reading from a wide variety. No surprise there - they demandtime to read.
  2. Play acting. Not organized time, but fourth dimension to use the imagination.
  3. Experimenting.Fourth dimension to try new things, create, build, be easily-on, test ideas.
  4. More thantime spent on creating than on consuming, particularly challenging nowadays with and so much more to swallow.
  5. Gettingfourth dimension away from the social pressures of schoolhouse, exploring self instead of 'social norms'.

"Today, lonely time is frowned upon," Mr. Hoffman points out. "Something happened in the last 30 years to encourage parents to be more than involved simply that time has frequently been evidenced as over scheduling, over involvement, ane event to another…only in all that over involved parenting is at that place conversation, or is there scheduling?"

My son Grady last year was interning in Beverly Hills for an 'editing house'. He got the job the old schoolhouse way. He showed upwardly face to face and presented himself and his goals and he was hired on the spot. The owner told him she received endless emails and resumes that she didn't have time to sift through. He did the footwork and made his case.

Ane afternoon the staff was tasked with a peculiarly challenging interview that they needed to shave down from v minutes to two, without losing content. Grady had the least experience in the office, so he was not asked to assist. Finally, with the interview only down to three minutes and the deadline approaching, he asked to give it a shot. You see, they were all taught a certain fashion to scale downwards an interview. He used his cognition from his training in writing high school papers (homeschool papers). He outlined the interview the way he would a paper, and from there edited it down to two minutes successfully and to a very pleased boss and client. Grady knew how to think exterior of the box. He wasn't spoon-fed a how-to, so he knew to look at the problem from a different angle. He is an contained thinker.

"I suppose information technology is because about all children go to school nowadays and have things bundled for them that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas," author Agatha Christie once said.

We want them to produce their ain ideas, and not just believe and restate everything they see on Twitter and Instagram! We have 4 years to train and guide these children into adults, and then, like information technology or not, they are legal adults and should know to acquit equally such.

Homeschooling loftier schoolhouse can be daunting! At that place are several common objections I hear.

"Just I'm non qualified!" If you lot take an unremarkable academic groundwork (like yours truly), it can be terrifying. Merely there is a lot of help! First things first - is God calling you? Take you asked, or did you just say no? If it is His will, He volition evidence you the way.

As mentioned before, there are so many fantastic resources, schools, and programs out in that location. There are so many ways to accomplish your bookish goals in improver to the long distance schools. I accept used our school'southward tutors and classes, of course. I take also used my folks, my friends, retired teachers (daily Mass has a overnice selection of retired professionals), older students, college kids, on and on.

My girl, Eileen - wife of four years, mother of Seamus (20 months), and Events Coordinator for Benedictine College - said, "It was piece of cake for me to realize I wanted to be homeschooled in high school once I shadowed my cousin at her Cosmic loftier school. The teachers had to proceed the curriculum at such a mainstream level - the really smart kids were bored and couldn't reach their potential, and the kids that were struggling in a subject field weren't able to succeed considering the teachers didn't accept time. Homeschooling gave me the best opportunity."

My daughter Maura said, "I would've been wild and irascible if I had to bargain with peers all day. I needed lone time and I needed to talk to my mom."

As I was writing this, I institute it profoundly humbling and my mistakes were glaring. It was a spiritual boxing - I am so ordinary and unworthy to be here. But this is good, considering if I can, yous can!

I shared this with Maura and she said, "I merely graduated from higher summa cum laude because I learned that I love learning. Why do yous call back your kids are so close? We spent time growing upwards together, playing together, and learning together. Homeschooling is important and vital to families in the Catholic faith."

"But my child won't be able to play sports!" Answer: Club brawl! In that location are lots of homeschooled athletes (Tim Tebow, almost Olympians, Jason Taylor of Miami Dolphins to proper name a few). There are many different athletic courses available. For example, my daughter Maggie played volleyball for the local high school team. My son Brennan is currently on swim team with some other high school; he even earned his varsity letter of the alphabet.

"But the loftier school feel!"What exactly…the prom? In that location are endless opportunities to participate in many of the high school and then-chosen milestones. My children have attended, while homeschooling, high school proms, homecomings, and dances. They have participated in football, swim, volleyball, and dance.  In that location is so much more now than ever before.

My daughter Siobhan is a current educatee at Benedictine Higher, and she was a very resistant homeschooled loftier schooler. She participated in the local high school trip the light fantastic team, took Castilian there, and went to many of the functions.  She said, "When you are homeschooled, it keeps your focus on what is important. In schoolhouse you are surrounded with drama and your attention to schooling is much less. I would never want my younger siblings to exist in a traditional high school."

"Only homeschooling is expensive!" I clinch yous, the pricing for homeschooling isn't even close to a semester of 1 child at a private school…and what could yous exist doing with that money? Travel, for one thing! You lot could travel to the celebrated sites, take weekend trips to explore astronomy, marine biology, etc. You accept the ability to explore your children's specific interests in a deeper way. My son studied for two years in loftier schoolhouse to learn 3D animation, and he even sold some online. My girl Maura became a licensed aesthetician in loftier schoolhouse; my girl Siobhan learned the fine art of interior design in a two year program. The opportunities are endless and the schedule is flexible to pursue internships, hobbies, and/or jobs.

"But we are burned out!"Is the burn down-out from a lack of cocky-intendance? There are a lot of peachy solutions if that is the example. I needed more fun with my girlfriends, so in one case a week I started a group to meet and just have fun. It became known that on Fridays starting at 2:00, Mom was gone.Is the fire-out from the grading, the follow up? That volition happen either manner, as you lot are the parent. I get help with some of that too. I work with a friend'south girl in one case a week and she works with mine to mix it up.

"My kid won't listen to me, and can't learn from me!" I have definitely had teens that did not want to work with me. That'south fine - I can get a tutor once a calendar week and be at that place to assist and to support them.  Putting them in school is not a recipe for improved relationships; it is putting them in an environment that encourages them to pull away from your relationship. That's an 'usa versus them' mentality. We want tohear them, and to treat them with dignity and their ideas with interest. This fourth dimension with them is golden.

I believe part of the struggle we have with our teens is painful for both parent and teen. You see, their eyes are opened and they begin to really 'see' us, warts and all. We desire the best for them and teach them what is truthful, simply our sin is glaring in their face. They have to come to terms with our imperfections, our failures, as exercise we. It is painful for our children to meet how weak nosotros are, merely what a blessed opportunity! This is thetime to prove them how critical it is for them to see our imperfections and their great demand (our great need and continual seeking) for Our Lord and for Our Lady. They see that considering we all are flawed, wetin't dearest as He loves, all the while edifice the case of the truth in more mature ways. This lets them wrestle with the truth and come to ownership, and not just be fed what to recollect. That necessary struggle is, in my view, function of the cute mess of parenting. It is the privilege of parenting…simply we need fourth dimension!

I dear how Laura points out that the brick and mortar school relationships are seldom lifelong. This gives bonding a different result than in homeschooling relationships which are primarily the family. They have to learn how to piece of work out those relationships healthfully. This, in turn, prepares them for long lasting relationships in their vocations.

When i of my daughters was dating a young human being in college that seemed to accept trouble communicating, she asked him if he had ever been in a long term relationship, to which he replied, "No, merely neither take y'all." Her response was a surprise to him, as she stated that she, indeed, had and connected to be in many long term relationships with her family members. Through schooling at home, she had fourth dimension to work through the ups and downs of those relationships and continue to grow in them.

In The Journal of Marriage and Family September 2015 consequence, Anna Tyzack reported on a written report of the quantity of time of parents with their offspring done with 16,000 youngsters in Toronto, Canada. Information technology showed that information technology was about important to the offspring to accept fourth dimension with their parents during their adolescence.

Adulthood is a process, not an event. We all have to move at our own step. Older children need opportunities for right thinking, and for making assessments of situations (this is so much easier with well-idea-out curriculum that sets up the opportunities for these discussions). They needfourth dimension to delve deeper. Teens need to be heard and listened to with interest and respect. Trying to not interrupt and not to react is a huge claiming for me, still!

St. John Bosco said, "Without confidence and dearest, at that place can exist no true education." Confidence grows from being heard by interested listeners who are invested.

I will never forget my beginning consultant preparation with MODG. I was a nervous Nellie, as usual, and very green as a mother and homeschooler. I couldn't actually empathize why they asked me to be a consultant. Then here I am at the grooming and Laura sabbatum next to me. She asked me my stance on things and listened with corking interest and joy - she modeled agile listening. She also taught me to be at the ready to learn from those around you lot…including, importantly, from your children. I am sure yous accept learned quite a few lessons from them already. Even as adults we all experience the need to exist heard. When we're hurting, sometimes the all-time help is to have someone willing to listen. The raw stages of teenagers require this the virtually.

My youngest son, Brennan, was a very reluctant homeschooler for high schoolhouse. He just finished 9th form this past May. In the course of this yr, he has observed striking changes in many of his friends, the ones who were not homeschooled.  Well-nigh of them, even the ones he was very close to, put him off as they became much more than self-involved, critical, insecure, and anxious. They were consumed with their social continuing in their corresponding loftier schools. As the twelvemonth continued, more than of them turned to him; they needed his friendship and his stability, and it was a relief for them to talk to someone not in the battle at school.

Brennan found that some were not ready to permit get of that passive aggressive sarcasm as their shield. He had to weigh Christian charity with boundaries. Navigating relationships is an art, a skill necessary as a Cosmic, with our call to love. The balance of healthy charity and boundaries, being there with them to hear them, speaking the truth in dearest - all of this is part of our faith. And yet, he needs to take others that are there for him likewise; there is the rub.

But it has been a challenging yr. When I asked him what he would take me say to you today, he said, "Homeschooling high school has been a good influence for me. I have been able to get into more than depth with what I am interested in learning. I have found that there are more tools for me to learn. I am able to choose friends wisely; I am not forced into artificial social situations; I am able to be who I am, introverted or extraverted. I do get a lot of grief for homeschooling from my friends which I defend with humor."

As Beatrix Potter once said, "Give thanks goodness I was never sent to school - it would take rubbed off some of the originality."

Navigating loss is a part of life, a difficult part of growing up. Information technology has not always been easy for my kids finding healthy, local relationships while homeschooling, only they have all come out on the other side ahead and with true friends.

We have hadfourth dimension to exist family. While they are very busy in high school, we had time. When life threw us curve balls, nosotros could approach them together.

From illnesses, tragedies, sudden and expected deaths, miscarriages, Sacraments, weddings, graduations, moving again and again, the homeschooling was a constant.

In the Final Iv years, what is of import? And so much - hither are 2 of my standards:

First: feelings aren't facts. Put your feelings in the rider seat, and if need be, in the back in the car seat facing backwards, but never let them drive! Acknowledge the feelings only allow your reason exercise the driving of your life.

Second: just because someone says it, posts it, or tweets it, doesn't brand it truthful. Look for the truth, evidence them how to get the right information, and where to find information technology.

Every bit St. Toribio Romo Gonzalez, martyred in 1928, said, "Christ said, 'I am the Truth,'; He did not say, 'I am the custom.'"

We are in a battle of misinformation.

Dr. Dobson has said, "Those who command what young people are taught, and what they feel, what they meet, hear, think and believe will determine the future course for the nation."

It has never been more important to put in the time! It is your call, your God-given duty to safeguard the truth with your children and equip them for the boxing equally adults.

St. Thomas Aquinas said, "The things that nosotros love tell uswhat nosotros are." What practise you really dearest, and does your life reverberate information technology?

Pope St. John Paul II said, "Do not be afraid when beloved makes demands. Exercise not be afraid when love requires sacrifice"

And, needless to say, our Good Lord has given me plenty of opportunity to reflect on His Words in Isaiah 55:nine:

"For My thoughts are non your thoughts, nor are your means My ways, says the Lord, as high as the heavens are to a higher place the globe and so high are My ways to a higher place your means and My thoughts above your thoughts."

I say to you, His Grace is Enough!