I was just wide awake at 4 a.m. this morning, and I felt the Lord stirring me to meet with Him in His word. I feel like I got a bit of a Heavenly spanking. Though this is never pleasant, it's so necessary. I found that the Holy Spirit kept bringing to my mind my precious and precocious three year old, and my shortcomings in training her. I'm so impatient with her, yet the Lord is so SUPREMELY patient with me. Well, here's where the humble pie bit comes in! As I was on my knees, my tears falling to the floor as I ran into the Lord's open arms, my little Wren came to my mind and I determined to (with the Lord's help and ONLY by His grace and provision) be more patient with her. To pay more attention. To be easier on her when she disobeys (which anyone will tell you is a zillion times a day!), to hold her close more often than I do, and tell her how lovely and special and precious she is to me and to Jesus. Just to be intertwinded with her heart so that I can hold it in my hand as the fragile thing that it is.
Oh, it all goes by in a blink. Truly. I don't want to look back when Wren is grown and regret that my heart was not inclined to her as it should have been.
So often as a parent, I get too fixated on my own "issues" and I'm not as present with my children as I really should be: as they deserve me to be. I can do nothing without the Lord, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It is a choice to call on Jesus. To refuse to parent (or anything else I set out to do, for that matter) in my own strength, but to CHOOSE to allow the Spirit of Truth and Wisdom to speak and act and live and breathe through my very life. Sometimes for me, the choice to step aside and let the Lord do His mighty and gentle work is one of the hardest for me to make.
I prayed that the Lord would show me and help me, and above all things, NOT to leave me the same.
Oh, it all goes by in a blink. Truly. I don't want to look back when Wren is grown and regret that my heart was not inclined to her as it should have been.
So often as a parent, I get too fixated on my own "issues" and I'm not as present with my children as I really should be: as they deserve me to be. I can do nothing without the Lord, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It is a choice to call on Jesus. To refuse to parent (or anything else I set out to do, for that matter) in my own strength, but to CHOOSE to allow the Spirit of Truth and Wisdom to speak and act and live and breathe through my very life. Sometimes for me, the choice to step aside and let the Lord do His mighty and gentle work is one of the hardest for me to make.
I prayed that the Lord would show me and help me, and above all things, NOT to leave me the same.
"He that has started a good work in me is faithful to complete it."
1 comment:
Hi, Shannon! I totally agree with your post here. It can be hard sometimes to find the right balance....and it does go by so quickly. Beautiful post~
About the bracelets, I got them at Walmart...in the party supplies. You could probably get them at any party store as well. They came in a pack of 6 or 12 for about $2. The girls just liked them because they were heart shaped ;) We had plenty to make streamers and to add to the dress up box! :)
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