Advice to my Children

                 I love my family, I am so thankful that all 5 of my children are close, that we can talk about anything together, and that we can always depend on each other. One of my most favorite things, is to have them all here at the same time, to pour a cup of coffee, and sit back and watch them talk! They are all so different, from one politically extreme to the other, from laid back and chill,to hyper and full of energy, from quick tempered to low key..but the thing is no matter how passionate they feel on something,or how loud the discussions and debates get, they respect each other and do not make it personal! As, I was laying in bed this morning,my thoughts went to them,and I thanked God he blessed me with each one of them. I was thinking of how, if I could give them advice to help make their life easier..what I would say. 
             First thing, keep your faith, God has always been present in my life, but I can see so many places where he has seen me through, so many of my prayers answered,sometimes not in the way I wished, but looking back it was always for the best. Pray daily and read the bible and give God a chance to lead you where he wants you.If you give Him a chance he will always be there, and trust me when I say He has answered many prayers about and for each one of you. 
           Next, do not be afraid to be different! Today, people are so worried about appearances, and what others think,  they hide their real thoughts and ideas for fear people will not understand. Being unique is  wonderful , It brings out new ideas, and ways of doing  things. When you stop trying to please everyone else, you can find out who you truly are. It will make your life so much more content!
You will learn so much about yourself and others, and your true friends will always stick with you, even if they think your odd..lol
            You are entitled to your opinion, and others are entitled to theirs! You do not ALWAYS have to be right, and sometimes its better to agree to disagree! As, important as being yourself is, it's also important to remember that, that does not mean everyone else has to be like you and think like you too! Always put yourself in the other persons shoes, before you judge or get angry. They are a different person, raised different,different environment growing up than you, so they are not always going to think like you! I hate confrontation, but lots of times I do not argue because I always try to see the others viewpoint and where they are coming from before I speak! I promise you it helps a lot!
            Honesty is very important, I have learned this the hard way! Sometimes, I  will not be honest to spare someones feelings, or to avoid conflict. One thing I have learned over the years, IT DOES NOT HELP!! It makes things worse, That does not mean you have to be a jerk, just be honest, and if it is difficult , it will still be better for everyone in the long run.
                 My grandmother was an amazing woman, I have never met anyone like her . Her favorite thing to say was "If you cannot say something nice, do not say anything at all" and she lived by that! If your  criticism of someone is not asked for, or will not help them, keep your mouth shut!  It is so much better and more fulfilling to build others up, not tear them down! It is amazing how one positive word can change another persons day! Try it, it will make you both feel good.
                 I guess the last thing is do not judge others, do not let your misconceptions cloud what you see. Working with the homeless I have learned so much! The outside is not important, it is the inside that really counts, and you may not know what the other person is going through. Love is very forgiving, and it is also important not to lose sight of it. Love is more important then being right, its forgiving when others do you wrong, its stepping up to help when you are needed, not just thinking of what you will get in return, or how it benefits you!
               Wow, I could write a book..hehehe, so much more I could say. If only I had known this stuff when I was young, but I guess it is part of growing up and learning about yourself and life. What advice would you give? What would you tell your children? What one thing do you think would help make their life easier? I would love to hear from you!