MUSING OF A GENERATION PAST

Many of her teenage girlfriends had interesting and various career dreams for their lives, but her dream had always been to be wife and mother. She knew there was no nobler calling!

In her growing up years, girls prepared to have a career before they married, as well as to have something they could fall back on after the children were grown. The in-between years were dedicated to being a stay-at-home mom. She respected women who chose to totally invest in the lives of their children during the formative years, rather than bring in a double income. She wanted nothing more than to be one of those moms!

When the Lord determined whom she would marry, and if God would bless them with the children of their love, she wanted to teach them to love Jesus, to have a servant heart, to be loving, caring and encouraging in all relationships, and to prepare them to fly their own kite in this life when they grew up.

Now, after all is said and done and she is a grandmother, she looks back and says, “I had no idea that raising children would be such an intense, mutual growing process. I made so many mistakes! But God’s grace was evident every day of our lives.”

The time and energies invested in the lives of her children, God used for a two-fold purpose. Her total dependency on Him to carry out her role as a mother yielded personal growth she had never even anticipated. Any character development difficulties she had with her children, you can be sure, were issues in her own character that needed to be tackled first!!

Young mom, watch out for those times when the Lord is teaching you valuable spiritual lessons through your children! Ask the Lord to give you open eyes and ears, and a teachable spirit for what He shows you through your children, about His love for you!

As she watches her children now raise their own, she deeply appreciates that the cycle of learning and growing continues. What she hasn’t been able to get across, the Lord will continue to teach them through their very own children. Everything is ordained by the Lord!

If an ordinary mom can have such love for her children, how much more deep and wide, everlasting, unending, and perfect is the Father’s love for His children!

Dear child!

You are our precious child!
We love you with an everlasting love!
Even before you were born
we were thinking of you.
God formed you beautifully.
We gave you a name
and you are ours!
God has placed us here
to meet your needs.
We receive great pleasure
in watching you grow
and mature in everything.
We delight when you want
to spend time together and talk.
We always have time for you.
We want nothing more
than for you to be happy.
We love it when you invite us
to be involved in your life.
We rejoice hearing your words of love too.
We delight in your accomplishments.
We thrill in surprising you
with gifts of love.
We enjoy working together
to accomplish some tasks.
We hurt when you hurt.
We are not afraid
to tell the truth to each other.
We provide support
and encouragement along your way.
We love your family;
We pray that every one of your children
come to salvation.
When we have a falling out,
we will always be willing
to restore the relationship.
No matter what you’ve done,
we will never keep you at arm’s length!
Restoration is always complete!
We are always there for you
as long as God gives us life.
We love you just as you are,
but always want to motivate you
to grow in grace and faith,
and demonstrate the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
We desire your life
to bring honor to the kingdom.
We love meeting all your friends!
They have become our friends too.
There’s joy in numbers!
Our friends love you too.
We will be open and honest
in communicating,
so that nothing comes between us.
The decisions we make will be for your good.
Thank you for trust in this.
Remember, God will always be there.
He was there yesterday,
He is here today, and
He will be there in your future.
He will not move!
He will always love you.
Though we grow old -
our love for you is growing too.
We have open arms and hearts anytime.
Keep on living a life of service.
Keep on praying, trust God.
Keep on giving with a generous heart.
Keep on loving, laughing, learning!

With all our love forever and forever,

Your Dad and Mom