Posted on 04/24/2021 7:28:52 AM PDT by Mrs. Warrior
Every child lives in a world of innocent self involvement. I gave my youth to raising our children and I tried very hard to protect them from the negativity and ungodliness of the outside world. We home schooled our kids and as a military family we moved a lot. Home-schooling was an obvious choice for us and everywhere we went we found similar minded home-schoolers and home-school associations that provided a wide variety of expertise in education. Moving around the country gave us the opportunity to explore new places and we gave our kids lots of field trips, teaching was not only from a book but from real-life experiences.
The most important goal we had for our children was to live as examples first by having a loving home, then sharing the Word of God and making sure our kids understood that our faith was a choice we made and that they would have to make their own choices as well; to see themselves as sinners needing redemption, that God always knocks on the door of every heart asking permission to come in, and to trust that Jesus died on the cross to save them and all mankind from the punishment of sin and to give us life more abundantly.
I can honestly say that I loved my family with all of my mind, heart, soul and body.
When our kids got to be old enough they wanted to start to work for tips as baggers at the installation commissary. I had to let our kids grow up. I thought that God gave them to me, and that because I loved them so much, that the best hopes and dreams that I had for their future of finding a mate who would love them like my husband and I did each other.
Looking back, I think our kids stopped waiting for the right God-sent person and went searching for someone to love them on their own. This is painful to write about; part of loving our kids is doing so even when you know the choice they are making is not a wise or good one. But insuring they know that even if they make a wrong choice they are loved regardless of the consequences. As parents it is our burden to know that being young includes not understanding how much people want to use you and convince you that they love you for yourself when in reality there are other motives and intentions involved.
Throughout painful divorces and having their hopes crash around them, then having courts decide about child custody, we endeavored to let our children know that they were loved and cherished for who they were. We stood by and helped with situations as they came about to assist our children by providing resources, child care and living accommodations as needed. Now our grand-kids are starting to enter into ages of accountability and the process starts all over again. Perhaps God knows that we are even better equipped for such a time as this.
When we bought our home, I always knew that if times required it, that they would all come back home and be sheltered from a world in chaos. We made preparations to provide for them all if need be. In our separate journeys we now would have to learn how to live together and how to work and play, how to tell stories of God and His love, to eat food and give thanks for the grace of those who worked hard to provide and to work side by side to make it through.
I again try to protect my loved ones in a time of violence. I make the effort to make sure our family is ready in their personal relationship with Jesus so they will be raptured an not left to a terrible tribulation, or to survive and thrive if the Lord tarries longer. Loving my family much means hurting much when they hurt; Jesus told the Father “all that you have put into my hand I have not lost any”.
Well said.
From a former teenaged commissary grocery bagger, thanks for the message.
The great thing about God is that even through all those tough moments, He gives glimpses of the better things to come and then one day without even realizing exactly when it happened, things did get better. God brought better people into your life. He brought better situations into your life. And, most importantly, He brought the realization that He was right there with you all along.
God is good.
Great post!
My young ones are starting to see how evil the world is.
I have tried to teach them as best as I can with the Lord’s help, that this world is quickly dying and there is a much much better plan in store for us all.
I pray they never stray from the path, but I look back at my life and see the short-cuts I tried to take and I know stuff will happen - especially if the Lord tarries.
I pray almost every day that He comes back soon.
Most of today’s children are being abused beyond words.
No one controls their kids once they leave home. And no one can believe on behalf of their kids. Heck, the father of the prodigal son didn’t run to the pig pen or offer to support his son in a life of rebellion.
Abel and Cain both had the same parents. Kids make choices and some are bad.
Very well stated.
Cuz and I did that also as teens. We actually did pretty good in tips for a days work.
A wonderful expression of your love and the deep and abiding care for your children that only God can give a mother.
As a young and expectant dad I wondered if I could love a child as a father should. An older a wiser man than I told me not to worry as when that most helpless of little creatures closed his hand about my finger it would be case closed. He was right and later as that love surged through me I realized I was helpless before it. With that came sudden fear that I must protect him with all I had to give. Even with my life.
When a few days later the doctors told us with solemn faces that our tiny son had a rare and incurable disease called Cystic Fibrosis and might not live to school age the shock and fear for our child overwhelmed us. The child I was prepared to die for was going to die and and no amount of anger or tears was going to change that. All that mattered now was to live for our child and to do the work of love that daily sustained his life. Through this labor of love we discovered one of God’s greatest truths of life; love makes you stronger.
We remembered That God the Father had a son, also, who He watched suffer and die so you and I could live. I think He felt every wound and nail His Son suffered and can personally understand intimately our son’s and our own suffering. His love and our ability to love others is the greatest of God’s gift to His created children.
Brendan lived 38 years at our home and lived as active a life as possible. He taught us so much about love that we could have never known otherwise. Before he passed he knew the Lord and we prayed together for reunion in His presence. His last words were of his love for us.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly; but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am known.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians13:12-13 )
I just wanted to drop you a few keystrokes to let you know I appreciate your sincere and self-reflective posts.
And homeschooling is a must nowadays!
Bflr
So glad you shared your Brendan with us. My husband and I were brought to tears for your great love and we know that we all, if in Christ, will rejoice evermore!
God’s blessings to you.
And thank you for your post.
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