Mother’s day has changed a bit for us. The focus used to be on my wife. Now we have two other mothers, my daughter and daughter in law, and two more pre mothers, my other two daughter’s in law.
It is a really interesting dynamic. It is one of the things that makes being a parent a continually changing challenge. The relationships with our kids are in a constant state of flux. Each change in their life impacts our relationship with them.
When we were new parents in 1981, I remember standing over my new born son in his room, clueless as how to deal with whatever was going on at the time. I stood there and James 1:5 leapt to mind. I prayed then for God’s wisdom and then believing He gave it to me acted.
That scenario has played out more times than I can count. With all of the changes in our kids’ lives, the opportunities are not waning, rather exponentially increasing.
We continue to pray and trust.
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| Not our family |
When we were new parents in 1981, I remember standing over my new born son in his room, clueless as how to deal with whatever was going on at the time. I stood there and James 1:5 leapt to mind. I prayed then for God’s wisdom and then believing He gave it to me acted.
That scenario has played out more times than I can count. With all of the changes in our kids’ lives, the opportunities are not waning, rather exponentially increasing.
We continue to pray and trust.
Many years ago when our four daughters were young one of my godly mentors told me he was convinced that God does not give us children so that we might train them; He gives us children to train us. We have found that to be true through the years in uncountable ways.
ReplyDeleteOne night when they were still very young we were living overseas and I awoke with a strong sense of anxiety about them. There was no reason for fear that I knew of, but that didn't make it go away.
As I lay there in the darkness beside their sleeping mother I asked God for some clarity and the Spirit brought the Psalmist's words to mind from 127:1,2,1
"Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep." I have returned to these words many, many times- often in the middle of a night.
I reflected on that I realized that's what I wanted to do as a father: I wanted to build into their lives practical and godly wisdom, and I wanted to protect them, from harm and evils seen and unseen. And that I must so do. But unless God takes my work and uses it to do the building, all will be in vain. So I began a process of both redoubling my efforts in these directions, but also allow those words to change my prayer life.
Mothers' Day is different for us, also. One of the things I increasingly love is seeing my dear wife in each of the girls in unique but also similar ways..
That psalm has been a fervent prayer for us as well. Thanks for sharing.
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