Children Are Gifts

MY BLOG TODAY is dedicated to my daughter-in-love, Annie. She is a wonderful Mom & I am so blessed to have her in my life.

"Children are gifts from the Lord; they are a real blessing." Psalm 127:3

I know that there were days when my boys were little that reading that verse would have made me want to shout, "Amen! Yes Lord, thank you for these precious little bundles of joy that light up my life from morning till bedtime." And then there were those other days!! The ones that made me wonder why me? Really, Lord, what did I do to deserve this? What lessons are you trying to teach me?

It is difficult to admit sometimes that these little tikes can get the best of us. How do we allow them to run our day like little Generals? They demand, they cry, they want, they need. Saying they are a challenge is putting it nicely. You look at them and wonder where they came from. Who gave birth to these small aliens?

But, God is good and we are blessed with so many more wonderful days than not. Days when your little girl wants nothing more than to cuddle on your lap and read a book. Times when your son says something so sweet and tender to you that you think nobody will ever say anything to you again that will compare to that. (Nights when they are happy with just three books and two glasses of milk before bedtime.) You know those precious moments that light up your life and remind you that your children are truly gifts from God. And that being a mom is the best thing about you.

God called you to be a mother. He graciously blessed you with children and He knew you would be up to the challenge. Be encouraged. God choose you for these particular children. He will guide you and be with you every day. Remember, you actually are raising these children for Him. He has plans for their lives and those plans started with you as their mom.

Sometimes motherhood can seem like a very thankless job. The kids are too little to really appreciate all your efforts. Your husband is too busy to notice. Your girlfriends are trying to hang in there with their own families. So, who cares? God does. He really does. He sees you when you don't feel well, but the little ones need you more than you need to care for yourself. He hears your gentle praises and happy words when their accomplishments are huge in their little eyes. He notices the mounds of laundry, the dinner planning, all the meals, the diapers, the bottles. He appreciates your work. He sees all you achieve, all you complete. God knows the days that you push through, the bedtimes you see through. Because you know that God is aware of you, you can be motivated in the mess. You can be enthusiastic in the turmoil. Being a mom can feel thankless, but God is present. Raise those little ones for Him. Your rewards will be eternal.