Children Are a Blessing: Part 2
It's 3:17am, the little bundle of joy lying down on the quilt Nana made, wearing the layette gown Aunt Justine purchased in the bassinet the former mom and dad-to-be picked out is screaming for her fourth feeding in the past seven hours. Mommy (the former mom-to-be) rolls over in tears to nurse her. Daddy has to be at work in four hours and is catching whatever sleep he can. Mommy is none too pleased about his gruff words, "Look, you can sleep when Anna sleeps, I have to go to work. So be quiet and let me sleep." Mommy's tears roll down her face...she's disheartened, angry, and perhaps a little scared. "How long can I endure this? My body hurts, I'm tired. If only I could get four straight hours of sleep..." Daddy, realizing his selfishness, yet overcome by exhaustion himself, pats Mommy on the back, rolls back over, and begins to snore. This is the side of being a new parent that we don't know is coming when we're expecting the new blessing.
If you're anything like me, when you were expecting your new one you agonized over just the right name. To name the child after parents or grandparents, do we use a Bible name, avoid the all-too-wierd names, ick at the all-too common names... I know I mainly prayed for a healthy baby. I probably worried more about getting back to "pre-pregnancy size" than many of the more important things. I didn't know how much work was in store for me, the changes that would take place in my thinking. I just didn't know so much.
Thankfully, those first three physically exhausting months pass by before ya know it. The baby weight doesn't linger forever (though it was hard for me to quit "eating for two." Of course, it feels like an eternity as you go through it, but before long you're asking where the time went. The baby is holding his head up, smiling, rolling over, cooing, and just lighting up the room he happens to be in. These months pass by almost too quickly.
Amazing how quickly babies turn into toddlers who turn into active children and so on and so on! For me, one thing I continually am amazed by as my children grow up is just how selfless their presence makes me. I cannot imagine my life without them. Each new stage the children go through, brings me through new stages of life as well. And here is where I say what a blessing my children's growing up has meant for me.
Of all the things I didn't know about having children, the main thing I didn't know is how patient, how unselfish, how compassionate I would become, due in part to my role as a mother. There is nothing I can think of more wonderful than seeing God's hand on my children's lives. Sometimes I believe I've been given an abundance of patience as an extra measure of grace in my role as a single mother. Watching my children grow up into deep thinking, logical young people has caused me to watch my steps. I've learned and am still learning how to be less selfish. Sure I have goals and dreams that are my own, but that is not selfishness. My children have taught me to practice what I preach.
Do you have a hard time living by the "golden rule"? Well, if you struggle with that, just have a few children watch you go through your day to day activities so much that you find them following in your footsteps. Do you long to make a difference in someone's life? Well raise chldren who have a sense of purpose and send them out into the world believing that they have a responsibility to the world around them. Do you want to know forgiveness? Watch how easily a child forgives her father or mother after they've been unjust. Do you want to be entertained? Ask a five year old to tell you a story about alligators or dinosaurs. Do you sometimes need to put your feet up for a while to rest an achey back and legs? Then sit on a couch and ask your eight-year-old to color with you for a while. These are special "mom" moments for me. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.
If you're anything like me, when you were expecting your new one you agonized over just the right name. To name the child after parents or grandparents, do we use a Bible name, avoid the all-too-wierd names, ick at the all-too common names... I know I mainly prayed for a healthy baby. I probably worried more about getting back to "pre-pregnancy size" than many of the more important things. I didn't know how much work was in store for me, the changes that would take place in my thinking. I just didn't know so much.
Thankfully, those first three physically exhausting months pass by before ya know it. The baby weight doesn't linger forever (though it was hard for me to quit "eating for two." Of course, it feels like an eternity as you go through it, but before long you're asking where the time went. The baby is holding his head up, smiling, rolling over, cooing, and just lighting up the room he happens to be in. These months pass by almost too quickly.
Amazing how quickly babies turn into toddlers who turn into active children and so on and so on! For me, one thing I continually am amazed by as my children grow up is just how selfless their presence makes me. I cannot imagine my life without them. Each new stage the children go through, brings me through new stages of life as well. And here is where I say what a blessing my children's growing up has meant for me.
Of all the things I didn't know about having children, the main thing I didn't know is how patient, how unselfish, how compassionate I would become, due in part to my role as a mother. There is nothing I can think of more wonderful than seeing God's hand on my children's lives. Sometimes I believe I've been given an abundance of patience as an extra measure of grace in my role as a single mother. Watching my children grow up into deep thinking, logical young people has caused me to watch my steps. I've learned and am still learning how to be less selfish. Sure I have goals and dreams that are my own, but that is not selfishness. My children have taught me to practice what I preach.
Do you have a hard time living by the "golden rule"? Well, if you struggle with that, just have a few children watch you go through your day to day activities so much that you find them following in your footsteps. Do you long to make a difference in someone's life? Well raise chldren who have a sense of purpose and send them out into the world believing that they have a responsibility to the world around them. Do you want to know forgiveness? Watch how easily a child forgives her father or mother after they've been unjust. Do you want to be entertained? Ask a five year old to tell you a story about alligators or dinosaurs. Do you sometimes need to put your feet up for a while to rest an achey back and legs? Then sit on a couch and ask your eight-year-old to color with you for a while. These are special "mom" moments for me. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.
posted by Gretchen at
11:58 AM
0 Comments
