I’ve mentioned before that my girls either get along well or not at all. Though not quite as often these days, they still tend to go through phases of doing little together but bicker. So imagine my surprise when recently I witnessed a tiny miracle—they were quite the BFFs as they wiped out the entire population on Earth.

Oh my, how they giggled and cheered the eradication of all people everywhere, country by country, continent to continent.

Was I bothered by this?

Are you kidding me?

Oh my gosh, if they can get along for a half hour or so, laughing and plotting with great glee together the demise and plunder of all mankind, who am I to get in the way?

If it were more than just a game they were playing and they were getting all Pinky and the Brain-like, trying with evil intentions to take over the world, then I suppose I would butt in and make them stop or turn them in or whatever. Probably. But let’s not be so hasty to push the correction button and tell them not to play. Not only does this game allow them to actually enjoy each other’s company, they’re also learning geography and a little something like science-y stuff. Sort of.

All in all, despite the bickering thing, they seem to be fairly solid citizens so far. Besides, their interest in playing that game has waned and they shall let the inhabitants of Earth live. For now.

So, while I’m concerned about a good many things, that game is not one of them. What does keep me up pacing the floor and down on my knees in prayer? So many questions — many that started coming rapid fire as soon as I realized that my first born is actually starting middle school this year. How did that happen all of a sudden?

Things like, how do we figure out which way they should go? Just because they have an obvious talent, does that mean we should necessarily take it to the next level? Or do we just let them enjoy doing something simply because they like it? Have we given them enough opportunity to see that hard work is a good thing? Yet, so is playfulness?

Will our kids learn to love each other and be good friends despite their vastly different personalities? Will they stand together through good and bad? Or will they bicker their whole lives away?

Do they know that there is no possible way I could ever stop loving them? And as much as I love them, have I shown them the One who loves them indescribably more than I could ever imagine? Who cheers them on far more than I would ever dare? Will they lose sight of Him in the chaos of this world? Or will they learn to rely on Him to get them through?

Am I letting them see that even when they do mess up, even if it’s a big messy mess, there will always be enough grace and love and forgiveness to cover it as long as there are days left to live? All they have to do is ask for it? That healing is available even though it most likely won’t be instant and scars may linger?

The reality is we do live in a world where forces are at work that exist only to steal, kill and destroy. It’s not a fun little game. If my kids do get caught in a trap that was set out to destroy them, I pray they find their way to the One who died for them and makes all things new.