Every
little girl has a dream of meeting her Prince Charming, her Mister
Right, and riding off into the sunset to live happily forever. This
dream includes marriage, a little white house with a picket fence
and, of course, children. Naturally these children should be a little
boy who will fish, hunt, and play sports with his father and a little
girl who will dress in ruffles and lace and be a “mama's little
helper.” the dream continues and the children are grown and married
with homes and children of their own. Ah, such a wonderful dream to
have. However, dreams do not always come true. We often get a little
reality check when life kicks us back to the real world. We learn
that “happily ever after” only works in fairy tales. Reality
teaches us that real life is where all the action is.
When my
children grew up, they not only moved in with us again (and again),
my daughter brought her children to live with us. Now please do not
misunderstand me, I do love my children and grandchildren. I will
fight to the death anyone who questions that. It is just that at this
point in my life I was looking forward to time for me and my husband.
I thought I could have time to spend doing things I wanted to do and
spend time with the man I married but haven't seen in two weeks
because I have either been at school for a meeting or at the ballpark
watching a grandchild play little league.
Imagine
if you can, a leisurely trip to the mall with no worries about
cleaning house or cooking dinner. Perhaps a late afternoon move would
be fun a lunch at one of those “fancy” restaurants. You know the
kind. You actually go in and a waitress takes your order and serves
you. You don't have to yell into a little box and you get fries
whether you want them or not. After the mall and lunch I think I
will—uh oh, I must be dreaming because for just a moment I thought
I was having lunch at the mall. Well, when reality hits it often
uses a sledge hammer doesn't it?
I guess I
must come back to reality and clean the house and prepare dinner for
my hungry bunch. I have to admit that preparing dinner is not as much
fun as it once was. When the children were younger, I could prepare
one meal and everyone would eat it without presenting any major
problems. Now, however our schedules are so hectic that we seldom eat
at the same time. Now with our busy schedules and different tastes my
kitchen looks more like the kitchen of a fast food restaurant. Oh
well, I guess it is nice to be needed—when it's time to clean up
and scrub the cooked on food off the counters and floor.
I have
started looking through magazines of beautiful homes and dreaming of
living in a house that is as beautiful as the homes shown in these
magazines. I'm not talking about expensive homes or expensive
furniture. I'm talking about homes that stay clean with everything in
its place. A home where you will not find a hair brush in the kitchen
or a glass of milk in the bedroom. I am dreaming of the day when I
can clean the house and it will stay clean for more than fifteen
minutes at a time. I am not complaining though because right now you
can eat off my kitchen floor. Yeah, there is a spot of mashed
potatoes in that corner, gravy over there and bread crumbs scattered
throughout.
I know
that in the Bible the children of the Proverbs 31 woman rise up and
call her blessed. My children rise up and call me when they need
clean clothes, more junk food and the keys to the car or money for
gas. Ah, the feeling of being needed. Such a wonderful feeling for a
mother to have.
I do not
live an unfilled life however. I happen to have front row seats to
the biggest sporting events of the year. I'm not talking about some
boring sports with players that are known nationwide and who seem to
be larger than life. I know the hottest new baseball stars of the
century and am even on first name bases with the players and their
coaches. I am also a regular at the ballet and the prima ballerina
calls me by her pet name for me—Nanny. Oh, I can't forget my
volunteer work and charitable donations of which I am a faithful
contributor. Let me see, there is the magazine subscription drive,
the raffle ticket peddler, and the volunteer for the biggest dance of
the season—the Daisy Scout cotillion. Ah, what a wonderfully busy
by satisfying life I lead.
Although
I do not have the opportunity for time alone to spend reading all the
books I want to read or doing all the things I want to do for myself,
I have learned to be like Paul—content in all circumstances. I have
discovered that I have the greatest opportunity in the world. I am
talking about influencing my family by living my life as a testimony
to what Christ can do and has done for us. I want my children to see
the awesome love that is possible in Him and through Him. I hope my
family can learn from my example that with Christ all things are
possible and without Him we can do nothing. I am trying to live my
life so they can see my love for God and my appreciation for the
blessings He has already given. us. I know my family will always
remember me and want them to remember me my faith and my love for
God. I want them to see this love through all the little things I do
for them. I know that they will rise up and call me blessed. I want
to leave them with the knowledge that everything I have done has been
done out of my great love for them and my faith in God.
I want to
show them that when they do leave my nest and start out on their own
they will always have someone to call on they the times are tough and
the nights are long. I won't be around always to pick them back up
but there is a father will never leave or forsake His children. If
they do not learn any of the lessons that I have attempted to teach
them in life I want them to learn that one. He is always there for
us, even when we mess up and think that we have no place to go or no
one to listen to their problems. His nest will never be empty because
He always has His arms open wide for us.
Today's
Whisper:
A second
grade teacher was teaching a unit on magnets. She asked the class,
“what has 6 letters and picks up things?” little Johnny raised
his hand and responded proudly, “Mother.” Ah, the wisdom of
children. Although this is funny, it shows us how important a mother
is in the lives of her children. It has been said that the hand that
rocks the cradle rules the world. I have had the wonderful privilege
of not only raising two children of my own but I have had the honor
of raising four grandchildren. I have tried to instill in each of
them the love of our Savior and hopefully have let them see His love
and mercy in my own life.
Today's
Prayer:
Heavenly
Father, I want to thank you that you will never “kick us out of
your nest” but will always be there to shelter us under your wings.
I know that you are always ready soothe our hurts and heal our wounds
that daily living inflicts upon us. I thank you Father for your
tenderness and mercy even when we disobey and go our own way. You are
the ultimate Father and have shown us the ultimate love. Thank you
that you gave me the honor and privilege of caring for the children
you placed in my home and heart. I pray they always remember the love
I have for them and the love you have for them.
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