Thankful for Children

God's word say that children are a blessing from the Lord. He gave us two. Two boys who loved to play outside and build forts, play cowboys and Indians or army. They loved to use their imaginations and play all sorts of boy type games.

I remember one year shortly after Easter when we had talked a lot about Jesus and the cross, why He had to die and then 3 days later arose. I walked into the living room and heard Josh say, "now you be Jesus and die on the cross for our sins." I just smiled and left them to play. Those were precious moments.

I remember one day Adam coming home from school telling me that he was talking to a boy that everyone picked on because he was really big. He told me that he wanted to be his friend "it's not the outside that counts, but the inside that counts."

Oh, the lessons I learned from my children. What a blessing they have been! How many times do I want to take my turn "dying on the cross"? How many times do I judge someone based on their outward appearance?

When we began to homeschool God opened a whole new opportunity for me to learn from them. Yes I was to teach them, but so often they taught me. They may not have taught me history or long division, but they taught me patience, grace and mercy. They taught me go to Jesus when I couldn't handle the day - or the moment.

As teenagers our blessings from God taught us even more. They showed us the blackness and yuckiness of our hearts. They taught us to pray more, to trust more, to rely on God even more. They taught us to let go.

As young men they have showed us that they have their own journey to walk with God. They showed us that sometimes we don't understand, but God does have a plan and we need to trust in that. Once again they have taught us that we need to pray even more.

Yes God gives us children as a blessing. God gives us children to train. God gives us children so that we might learn.

It's through raising children that I believe we learn a lot of what it's like for God to raise us, his children.