Last weekend was a bitter-sweet celebration for me. My youngest son, Zach, is being raised in godly confidence. No drama. Yes, my husband and I have disagreements, but we no longer wound our children with the ill-effects of our own childhoods.

Friday was filled with "boy fun." We took Zach and two of his friends to see Iron Man and then my husband, Michael, put the tent up in the backyard and they slept outside with our yellow lab. I fed them junk and strung lights from the trees. It was a good day.When I climbed into bed that night, I found myself a little sad that my two older sons didn't have moments like that when they were young. They were loved, no doubt about it. But I was a troubled soul. Their formative years were spent coping with our family dysfunction. (My temper and Michael's drug relapses.)

The good news is that God continues to redeem the past. Which saves (literally saves) me from a life of guilt over not providing them with a more emotionally secure environment as they grew. My oldest son is now twenty-two. He took me and my mother to IHOP for breakfast and had dinner with us that night. I'm so proud of who he is--thoughtful and hardworking. 

His brother is nineteen. He's out on his own and finding his way. I know he'll get there. He called me on Sunday and is having dinner with us tonight. I continue to see God work in all of us. We're a family. And though I don't get a do-over with their childhoods, I do get to enjoy them as my adult children. I have the rest of my life to be there for them--to remain a steady source of encouragement and support.

Through Christ, all things are possible. Too many families give up on each other and go their separate ways. I'm so glad we didn't. Love never fails.

How about you? Any parenting regrets? Please consider confessing them to Christ and asking Him to redeem them. We all make mistakes with our children. We can't go back and change the past, but we can commit to being godly parents throughout their adult lives. It's our longest season of influence.

Ask yourself: How do I want to influence my adult children and my grandchildren?

My own mother is a perfect example of this. She didn't raise me in a stable enviroment, but we now have a wonderful relationship. And she should get an olympic gold medal for grandmothering. She's a great mom! She rocks!