I remember back when our three girls were little and we used to think about the future and what it would be like for Daddy to be the only male in a hormone-crazed household. He used to kid that when they all reached that point, he would move out for awhile until things calmed down...........well at least I thought he was kidding. But here I am now, alone with these three tween/teen girls and feeling extremely overwhelmed and wondering if I'm going to be able to pull this off. Some days I just wonder if we'll all even come out alive! There's the bickering and the primping and the bickering and the mood swings and the bickering and the friendship problems and the bickering and the aversion to chores and.......oh, did I mention the bickering? I don't mean to sound negative about my children. I really am very thankful for my girls and the blessing they are in my life and others'. I don't know what I would have done without them by my side these last two years. They are sweet and well-behaved for the most part. But I think everything just seems so much larger to me now that I am facing it all alone. I don't have "Daddy" here to talk through issues with and intervene when necessary and tackle the really hard stuff. He could always explain things so well to them and I often falter at that. Submission was not ordinarily much of a struggle for me - I was more than happy to let him lead (though of course I did not do that perfectly either). But now I must learn to lead this little flock of flighty, fickle, fun-loving, frivolous females. Lord, give me strength to face the undaunting task of, at least for now, being a single mom to teenagers. Thank you for the young ladies I am seeing my girls turn into. Please prune where pruning is necessary, give sight where there is still blindness, and bring life where death still reigns. Remind me daily that I am really not ever alone and that You will lead me perfectly as I learn to trust You more. Just help me to be the "Mommy" my girls need right now and to remember that I can plant seeds and water but only You can bring the growth.