He Writes Upon My Heart.

"Parents should teach their children to pray. The child learns both from what the parents do and what they say. The child who sees a mother or a father pass through the trials of life with fervent prayer to God and then hears a sincere testimony that God answered in kindness will remember what he or she saw and heard. When trials come, that individual will be prepared."—Henry B. Eyring, "That He May Write upon Our Hearts"

I am learning for the first time in my life, that it is ok to leave the bedroom door cracked.  I am learning that children need to know that they are prayed for and thought about.  They need to know that they are loved when there are no mistakes, but even more important is to let them know how much they are loved even with their mistakes.  I want my children to know that I am always going to love them.  sometimes, I wish they made different decisions.  I wish thy could see the long term effects of their choices.  I can not change their choice, I can only plan for what that will help them through.  We all make unwise decisions.  We are not perfect.  Some of us have an inner need to make a few more than others, yet Christ loved them all.  I think, of all things that is most important.  He loves them all.  Righteous, and unrighteous.  Saint and sinner.  Well and ill.  Hungry and full.  He made places for them all.  I am learning that love opens doors that are closed and brings you friends you never realized you need.  Love changes us.  It draws us closer to each other so that we may be prepared together to face the trials.   With Love, anything is possible.
One of the most sacred times in our family this year has been for the girls to realize how much we love them.  To hear us pray from our room about them.  About their trials and their heartaches.  about the strengths and their weaknesses.  About school and seminary and friends.  They have realized this year for the very first time that there is nothing in their lives that we do not value and love.  There is nothing that they can't talk to us about and still have that love.  It is allowing the Lord to write not only on my heart, but on theirs, and that is making a difference.