Every night we have devotional time with our kids. Hubby and I take the 2 littles (Pippa -4, and Izzy - 3) upstairs. We read to them from a Bible Story Book, ask them questions about it after, pray with them, and sing them a hymn or 2 while tucking them in. After that, hubby and I come downstairs and have devotional time with the 3 olders (Liv - 16, Esther - 10, and Jack - 8). We read from the Bible, discuss it, and then have family prayer time.
Tonight Hubby has duty - so I was flying solo. I read to the littles about the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21). After reading, we were talking about how everything we have is a gift from God, that we need to be thankful to Him for blessing us with. I asked Pippa what she wants to thank God for. Her answer? "Forgiveness". WOW. Pippa went on to say that the best thing God has given her was that Jesus paid for her sins by dying on the cross. I was utterly speechless. I was expecting to hear that she is thankful for her family, or her favorite lovey - "bunny", that she just can not sleep without.
Tonight I am thankful that the Holy Spirit is touching and filling the heart of my blessings, my children. It is moments like these - that I feel the Lord whispering, "keep going, keep going...this is a taste of the harvest that you are planting". What a great encouragement to my soul. Sometimes, as a mom - I get a bit discouraged. I feel like all I ever do is discipline some times. Time outs. Swats when they are overtly defiant (which is really only the littles now). Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with all that taking care of 5 children entails, keeping the house, cooking, homeschooling. Sometimes I wonder if I am reaching them...really connecting; conveying to them the serious stuff about life. You know? Sure they love me. Sit in my lap. Snuggle in bed with me in the mornings before everyone is up. And of course, I love them intensely. I'd die for them. But still, sometimes I fret over what may become of them in another 5 or 10 years. But then the Lord will allow me to see how he is molding and shaping them, like a master potter. I will get a little glimpse of what He is making them into. And all the worry vanishes. How can I worry when the God who created the heavens and the earth is holding them in His hands. They are His, for He truly does have the whole world in His hands.
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