Today the Lord has made me keenly aware of how blessed I am. I didn’t even realize it, but thankfully he allowed me to stop and actually see my children for what they are. A blessing from the Lord.
Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. ~ Psalm 127:3
My days usually consist of a strict schedule so I can get my “to-do” list completed. Shuffling the kids around, then onto lunch, naptime, dinner, bath and a quick book, then on to bed. I too often casually bypass the sweet pleasures my kids bring to my life each day. Like when my 2-year-old excitedly points out the bluebird in our back yard, or my 4-year-old daughter recites to me her memory verse.
This morning in my moms group, they showed a video of an “empty nester” reminiscing about her kid’s childhood. It hit me right between the eyes. If I don’t stop and enjoy the moment, it will be over before I know it.
I want to be completely transparent with you, because the last thing I want is for my readers to think I am this “Super Woman or Super Mom.” I am certainly not. I struggle with the same things you do. I feel guilty that I didn’t spend enough time with my children most days. Did I read and have quality one-on-one time? As I am learning, the little things are the ones that matter the most. The daily activities, not just the big life events.
So, I am going to make a conscious effort to enjoy the moment I am in. Not to wish for the next one, because it might give me more “down time.” I want to actually live out what I believe. God first, then family, and then His mission for me.
The faithful love of the Lord never ends, His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. ~ Lamentations 3: 22-23
How about you? What areas have you felt the Holy Spirit’s conviction of this week? I would love to hear your stories. I feel the more transparent and honest we are with each other the more healing and change that can happen.
I completely know what you’re talking about. I’m a Mom who works 40 hours a week…has a 45 mintue commute and still is trying to keep up with coupons and deals and family time. I have a 3 year old little girl and a 1 year old little boy…a lot of times on the weekends i’m about ready to pull my hair out!! However, i try to enjoy all of the questions and the contsant “Mama, mama, mama…” ;0) And even though i fee like i’m going to enjoy coming to work to “get a break”…i find that i cry myself to work at least 2 out of the 4 days i come in…mainly b/c i just plan miss them…and i wonder what if this morning was the last time i’m going to see them…and it just tears me up!! So, like you, i try VERY hard to love every single moment…b/c they do grow up way too fast…and we never do know when the Lord is going to call us home. Thanks for being transparent…i haven’t told anyone about the crying on the way to work….feels good to share 🙂
Hey Kelly,
I took a workshop of yours at my church. I learned so much. With me saving so much and getting stuff free the Lord seems to be telling me to give more to others in need. I have given one box of items to my boss who teaches a busniess class for low income families. My goal in the beginning is to give him one box a month and more later. How does this relate to your story…my kids are learning the concept of saving money, get more and give back. My four year old knows what a coupon is, my son helps organize and cuts them out. As impatient as I am they love trying to help and I have to stop and see the joy on their faces. This week has opened my eyes because I have been feeling a little lost from the Lord in the past couple of months. Had it not been for you and your class, this realization may not have happened. While non of us are superwoman, and I don’t want to be, you are a great inspiration. My motto: Pray, stop, and smell the roses, because if you don’t you’ll miss something. Thanks for everything you do for us all.
The Lord works in such wonderful ways! I totally needed this today! I have been looking up to him for answers all day! My 2yr little girl has soo tested every nerve I have today! Then I read this and I know that one day I will look back and wish for her to be 2 again! I know the Lord has truly blessed each one of us with these wonderful gifts (our little angels) and they can be taken away at any minute! So thank you for sharing your story!
I am NOT a mom. I am a college student at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma. This past Sunday, I was helping a professor with his horses (he asked the class if anyone wanted to and I was the one who showed up and it turned out that his wife was sick, so God was already working before I even showed up!). We came inside to the kitchen and his wife was waiting in there to serve us iced tea. The three of us talked a while about what I am going to do when I graduate and about the options I am considering. He suggested a job which would be very prevalent to my degree (I will graduate with a BA in Spanish), the Border Patrol. I instantly dismissed that, saying, “O no, my political ideology would get in the way of my doing that!” (I am from Nevada, so immigration is a hot-button issue for me…up until Sunday, I was very adamant about how I felt about “illegals”.) The two of them exchanged smiles and his wife brought out a book from their office entitled “The Gift of the Stranger”. They gave me a brief overview of the book and showed me a few verses upon which the book was based. I was so ashamed. I knew the Bible talked about our duty to widows and orphans, but I apparently ad skipped over the whole “alien” part. I had never even seen that part! Needless to say but worth saying anyway, I felt very convicted. Here I am in Oklahoma, a land which originally hosted only Native Americans (until those “destined” white guys came and took it from them), complaining about immigration! Not only is it, in a historical sense, hypocritical, but it’s also EXTREMELY un-Christ like! God created them just like He created me. I am learning their language and loving it, but not the people who speak it. Even writing this comment makes me realize how ridiculous my mindset was. I do not have to like that they are breaking the law, but I should not allow their breaking the law to inform my views on them as people…
As I sit here and write this, I am too reminded as to how quickly time flys by and how we are to capture every moment and view our life with a thankful heart.
God’s word says that “He is faithful” and each day I am reminded how faithfull He is, especially when I look back on all the things He has brought my husband and I through.
I am a mom of 3 children, 2 beautiful girls and a very handsome son, my 18yr old (girl) is a college freshman, a 10th grader(girl) and a 5th grader (boy) and are simply my delight.
As I was driving yesterday on my way to Rite Aid to do one of my many coupon deals, the Lord reminded me very gently as to how much He loves me and how blessed my husband and I was.
We have come so far since the day I gave birth to my 3 beautiful children, especially with my 18yr old. I was thinking alot about her yesterday and how quickly the days of diapers, runny noses , sleepovers, party dresses were over with and how quickly she has grown up and now living away from us.
God has been extremely faithful where she is concerned, He has protected her and kept her through those horrible teen years, and how far she has come since then, and how He helped both my husband and I keep our sanity and our peace.
Praise God !! she has matured (not fully yet) into a beautiful young lady, attending a great christian college and is making great choices. She is learning to stand on her own two feet and on her own faith , not ours.
There are days when I miss her so very much and want her to come home and be with me, and yet on other days I am relishing in the knowledege that she is where God needs her to be. So I leave her in the hands of not only my Heavenly Father but her’s also.
So enjoy the time you have with your little ones, love them, teach them and spend as much time with them as possible as they certainly do grow up fast. Teach them the ways of the Lord, and let them know the importance of “Seeking first the kingdom of God”.
As for me, I have two more beautiful children that God has given me, and I intend to relish every moment with them till it is time for them to leave.
God Bless!!!
Well, um, I think i just got convicted right there with this post!
#2 – God had me email a young mom in my neighborhood who just had her second baby 2 weeks ago. On the way from the hospital, her mom (the grandma) and her daughter were in a horrible accident. They are okay – thank God – but grandma was so banged up she is not able to help with the new baby.
I emailed her and offered to come over and watch her kids today so she could she nap.
It was during the only 8 hours of the week when I am kidless. And my husband is out of town. And I had about a million things on my to-do list. And, okay, I don’t even like this girl very much, she is a Nelly Negative.
She said no, she had an appt (Whew!)
So why did He have me offer? I don’t know. Maybe He’s cooking up something. He always is!
But it also revealed to me that my heart is NOT a servant’s heart. Showed me what to pray for.
.-= missy @ it’s almost naptime´s last blog ..Call to Action =-.
I AM an empty nester and it is gone so fast. We have 2 married and 2 sweet grandchildren and 3 in college. I will tell you that this new season of life is a time of sweet recconnection with my husband because it is just the 2 of us and that is a blessing from the Lord. But, I miss the kids just being here. I do wish I hadn’t been so busy and had taken more time and I try to remember that now when they are home from college and I am tempted to rush from one task to the next. Soon the youger 3 will be scattered too. Our oldest is 2 states away and our second child is on the mission field with her husband. Do treasure this time. It will not matter in 25 years if your house was always perfect and all your meals were homemade.