Message to My Children

Colette M. Owens

Description

Author Colette Owens records the wisdom she wants passed down to future generations while leaving blank spaces for you to share truly important advice with your own offspring.

Do you want to leave a legacy for your children of not only physical things but of your thoughts, ideas, and life missions? When we have our parents and grandparents with us, we often take them for granted, assuming they will be around forever. It’s not until they have passed on that we realize we should have spent more time with them, getting to know them and their philosophies on life.

Message to My Children was created so that your family doesn’t have to go through that! They won’t have to wonder what you thought about God, love, and relationships. You can tell them through the written word. This is a lovingly crafted book of spiritual advice and life lessons from author Colette M. Owens. Following each chapter is an area for readers to write down their own lessons that they wish to pass on to their kids. Families will be able to hand down their filled-out copies as valuable keepsakes chockfull of wisdom.

Use this book as a starting place to tell your loved ones how you feel about what’s important to you. Give them something tangible that they can have long after you are gone. Leave a legacy of love to your children and their children for generations to come!

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Living
• Personal Growth
• Inspirational
• Values
• Philosophie et théologie
• Sistema heredado
• Value (personal and cultural)
• Parenting
• Faith
• Legacy
• Family

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 02 février 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664287112
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Message to My Children
 
Twenty Things I Want to Tell You Before I Die
 
 
 

 
 
Colette M. Owens
 
 

 
Copyright © 2022 Colette M. Owens.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Scripture marked (KJV) taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
 
Scripture marked (NKJV) taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
Scripture marked (NIV) taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
 
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8712-9 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8713-6 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-8711-2 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022923299
 
 
WestBow Press rev. date:   01/31/2023
 
This book is handed down with love

Dedication
To my grandmother, Marie Neal Tyson

I wish that I could sit at your feet one more day.… I would soak it all up, I’d never look away. What I wouldn’t give to listen once again to all the stories you had to share, all the wisdom you’d impart. Time has yet to heal the hole in my heart. I will continue to live my life in a way that you’d approve and fill the hole of your passing with memories of you.
Special Thanks
To My Wonderful Parents
Frank & Lea Wooden

I will never be able to repay you for all that you have done for me. The sacrifices, love and support have helped to shape me into the person that I am today, and I am forever grateful.
Contents

Preface
 
1       Love God
2       Love Yourself
3       Love Others
4       Life Is Meant to Be Lived
5       Laugh Often, Mostly at Yourself
6       Embrace Change
7       Dream Big
8       Fail a Lot
9       Forgive Easily
10     Keep It Moving
11     Make an Impact
12     Watch Your Words
13     Put a Spin on It
14     Guard Your Heart
15     Lost but Not Hopeless
16     Seasons vs. Cycles
17     Recognize Your Angels Along the Way
18     Leave a Legacy of L.O.V.E
19     Write the Vision
20     Pray and Meditate
 
Conclusion
Preface


When my children were young, I spent so much time running around doing things that there was very little time for reflection. It seemed as if there was never a dull moment between scrapes and bruises, school, and playtime. I was like a firefighter, always on high alert and ready to put out the next fire. I thought in terms of what I needed to teach them at that moment to get them to the next milestone—how to read and write, how to spell, how to tie their shoelaces. You get the picture. It was not until they were older and out of the house that I realized that there was still so much I had to say, so many lessons that I was learning and that I wanted to give them a heads-up on, things that I wished I had been told earlier.
This book is my feeble attempt to do that. I don’t pretend that these are all of life’s lessons, but these are a few of the ones that are important to me. It is my hope that, as you read, you will come up with lessons and messages of your own to add. I will leave some blank pages at the end of each chapter for you to do just that. Together, we can leave a legacy of love to our children and their children for generations to come!
One last thing, I am a believer. I believe in God, and I believe in his son Jesus Christ. That being said, some of my lessons are based on biblical principles. Even if you do not believe as I do, I believe that you will find value within these pages.
 
A Personal Note to My Three Beautiful Children
The love I have for my children plays in my heart like a beautiful melody.


 
You Are Loved
It’s that simple. From the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, I love you. I love everything about you, even the stuff I don’t like!

Courtne y, you are my firstborn, and it seems like only yesterday that I felt you kick inside me for the first time. I was in the car with Pam and Jodie, going to hang out, when I felt my stomach jump. It scared me at first, then I was in amazement. All the reading I had done had not prepared me for the feelings that came over me in that instant. Suddenly, it was real— you were real—and my life changed forever. I loved watching you grow into who you are today. As a child, you were very independent. Not much has changed there! When you were about two or three, we were over at a friend’s house, and they had other children over who were about five or so. I was nervous about them being older than you, so I went to check on you to see how things were going. When I came around the corner, I saw that you had one hand on your hip and the other pointing up at them as you told them what they were supposed to do, and they were listening to your every word! I knew then that I would never have to worry about you because you could hold your own, and I was right. Today I look at you and am so proud of who you are. You are an awesome mother, and the inner resolve you have to succeed is evident in all you do. I love your straightforwardness and honesty (sometimes to a fault). I love your steadfastness in reaching your goals and the way you look at life, realizing that no matter how hard things get you are still blessed , and it ain’t over till it’s over. Your love for others and the hope in your heart are what make you who you are. They are your drawing force, your light in darkness. You are my first light, my firstborn, and I love you.
 
You Are Predestined for Greatness
Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; Before you were born, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.
—Jer. 1:5 (New King James Version, or NKJV)

Cierra, I remember when I found out I was pregnant again. I was so happy and scared at the same time. I wanted another daughter, and I prayed for that. I prayed for you ! Then I was worried about all the stories I had heard about second children. Would I love you enough? Would there be favoritism? (I really read too many books.) When you were born, all my fears went out the window with one look at you! I felt so much love that I thought I would burst, and with my two girls, my life was complete. Right from the start, you had the passion and sincerity that you have today because of a heart that is bigger than life and an abundance of love and sensitivity that is in all that you do. I know it makes you vulnerable, but don’t lose that! It is the essence of who you are, and I love that in you; it’s a rare gift. I think back to when you were young, always building and creating something. I wish I had spent some time with you in the clubhouse that I didn’t know about. And I still can’t believe the paint story! I used to say I couldn’t wait to see what you would become because I knew it would be great. And I was right. I see greatness in you, and I am so proud of all that you have overcome to stay focused on your dreams. Whatever your mind can conceive, it can achieve. You amaze me every day by the way your mind works. The creative gift you have is something some of us only read about, and your light continues to draw others to you. Believe in yourself. You are enough , and you are complete . I stand in awe of you. You are destined to make a difference in the world, and I love that you are mine. I love you more .
 
You Are Wanted
I always wanted a lot of children, like five or six. I believe that the three of you are exactly the children I was meant to have. I am forever grateful that I am your mother.

Gregory, what can I say to you to express my joy at having you for a son? You filled a spot in my life that I didn’t know needed to be filled. Our relationship is so special to me. You are the son every mother wants—loving, gentle, kind, and obedient (for the most part). I laugh whenever I think of you and obedience. You have always been very polite, and even when you would disobey, you would be so well mannered that it was hard to punish you. Your favorite thing to say to get what you wanted was “I just wish if I could.” Boy, were you a mess! I ju