Dear Meredith, daughter, mother, lady

I will begin with a public service announcement. Let's assume son=daughter, father=mother, and young man=lady.

1 John 2:12-15-I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 

I write to you, dear children,

    because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,

    because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

    because you are strong,

    and the word of God lives in you,

    and you have overcome the evil one.

He writes first to me as a child

He is my father

He sees me as I see my sons

I'm his daughter 

He knows I've messed up

Failed to drink from his cup

Not reflected him enough

But he says I'm forgiven

My sorry's enough

He sees past all of the times I've screwed up

He says I'm enough

Then he writes to me as a parent

Reminds me of my commitment

When we chose to have kids

Reminds me I KNOW him

And I KNOW how I should live

To show them how they should live

Then he writes to me as a young adult

My hair isn't yet silver and I'm not yet old

Though not advanced in my years

He says, "Lend me your ears

You have ALREADY overcome 

You are here so your job isn't done

But you've been forever changed by my son

And you are enough

Without all the fluff

And though you aren't perfect

You are whole since rebirth

You may not have all the answers

Or the gracefulness of dancers

Or your to-do list completed

Or your shortcomings deleted

Your house may not be cleaned

It could use some vacuuming

But, my dear, you have already overcome

By the blood of my son

You are all you need to be

So fix your eyes on me

AND JUST BE

Love, me"

Then he writes to us as children again

If we, as parents, know him

So will our kids

And because our kids know him

We see him in them

Then again, he writes, "young woman,

You are strong

In your heart is my song

In my lap is where you belong

You are strong

You are enough

You are strong enough!"