Children are a Blessing!

Children are a blessing from the Lord…..
It is often said that “Children are a blessing from the Lord.” Sometimes I think people mean that children are a “gift” from the Lord. As in: a present. A wonderful thing. That in and of themselves-just by being given to you, they are a prize or reward of some kind. No further explanation needed! They are just a blessing. So Moms- feel blessed and be thankful for your children-The End.
What about when they disobey? Or when they have a tantrum? Or when they interrupt you 100 times during an important phone call? How thankful do you feel when they hurt one another with their words , actions or physical contact? Are you feeling blessed when they color on your walls? Slam bedroom doors? Refuse to eat the dinner you slaved over and tell you it looks “yucky”? Are they wonderful in and of themselves when they whine and scream “MOMMY!” from every room in the house but the one you are in? or when they pee down the heating vent-on purpose-to make you mad?

OH!!!! You’re awake now are you? Starting to get bored with my list until I threw that baby in, weren’t you!!!??

Well..it happened to me today. Actually, I think the entire list happened today. Except for maybe coloring on the walls (which happened yesterday).

Did I “count it all joy”? Did I “count my blessings”? Did I even “count to ten” so I could regain composure before dealing with the unpleasant bodily fluids running from my second floor vent all the way down to the basement?????

No. I am sorry to say I did not.

Here’s where we get to the good part. Here is where I want to remind you to find at least one solid, Christ following Mom. One who is not afraid to speak the truth into your life. I called a good friend. After venting I said, “Please, remind me that it’s not as big a deal as it feels right now!!” She reminded me of some things far more important. Like:

The anger of man never brings about the righteousness of God.
Not to give the devil a foothold.
That I need to be “tying strings” and bonding with this child…not cutting strings that aren’t even there yet.
That after helping him clean up his little present to me, that I should remind him that God is using him to help me become a better Mommy.
Ouch.
But where it hurts is where it heals.
This child-like all of my 7-is a blessing from the Lord. But some days, his behaviors and my reactions to them don’t seem like such a gift-in and of themselves. Yet, through these times I learn to depend on the Lord, my patience grows, I endure through trials and must count it all JOY!!!!
I didn’t handle it so great today. But-thank you dear friend for your sound-wise-biblical advice. Tomorrow is a new day-full of God’s mercy and grace and a brand new chance for us both to start over! I think I’ll start it by letting him bake some pumpkin bread with me-and hoping to “tie a few strings”.
Be blessed!