Monday, January 5, 2015

Seeing Them as Precious

Tiny Debbie, just two, drags her stool to the sink, and she wants to "wash" dishes. 

But I haven't put away the dishes in the strainer and there are knives and there is glass and my hands are full with my six-month-old baby, and I have a choice. 

I can snap, "Not right now, Debbie; you need to come down from that stool," - because that would be easier for me in the moment. I can do what is convenient for me, I can give her the "righteous" no, while smugly insisting that she is learning obedience that way and giving myself the excuse that my hands are full, and that I am tired, and that it's been a long day, and the baby has been fussy; I can give her the "righteous" no.

Or I can see little Debbie as precious. 


I can look my little girl in the eyes, made in the very image of God and loved by Him, and I can hold Elisha with one arm and I can put away the dishes with the other and I can bring my tired body over to the sink and I can stand next to Debbie (or sit in a chair next to her) and engage my daughter and engage my son and I can talk to Debbie while she washes the dishes and talk to little Elisha about washing dishes and I can see them as precious. 

There are times to say "no," but right now, this isn't one of them, and I sense the Holy Spirit speaking to my mother's-heart - my tired mother's-heart and holding me close to Him and whispering Listen. 

You are tired, but this too shall pass -

Wouldn't it be easier to just let them play on the floor and supervise them? 

Maybe "easier" but not what the Lord is leading me to do right now. 

The Lord has been teaching me - teaching me slowly, to see my children as precious. 

They will only be tiny once, and I have this window, this small space in time, to nurture them, love them, instruct them, teach them, lead them... to Jesus. 

Do I want to be distracted during this time, trying to "get through" these years, pushing my children to crawl, to walk, to leave the nest, so that I can be "free" again? 

Or do I want to see them as precious? 


Lord, help me to see my children as precious... precious gifts, precious charges, precious souls... eternal souls

There is freedom in giving. 

Not in "taking back" what we think is ours. Our time, our bodies, our lives. 

Because they aren't ours - They belong to Jesus. 

A conversation that I had with a very dear friend burns in my heart -

I asked, Do you think that I should have more children?

And she paused and spoke to me and she said, "I don't think that it's an issue of how many; it's an issue of whether or not you are faithful with the ones that the Lord gives to you."

Her words, her words keep burning in my heart and she referenced the parable of the talents and she said that the Lord gave different amounts of talents to different people, and the issue was not about how many talents each one had, but rather with what was done with those talents...

It's not so much an issue of how many...

And I think that as humans we're tempted to make it into an issue. 

Whether we're advocating for large families or whether for small ones. 

But maybe it's not so much an issue of how many - rather whether we're faithful with the ones that we've been given... these gifts that we've been given. 

Because we can be unfaithful with one child or unfaithful with ten - The issue is a heart issue and a life issue and not a number issue. 

Are we being faithful? Am I being faithful? Am I engaging my children, leading them through all the events in the day to Jesus? Or am I merely trying to get through the day? 

It's not a matter of how many we can have or how few we should have... but about being faithful with what the Lord gives as we follow His leading and obey. 

And then we will see our children as precious... when we look into their eyes, as if looking at the face of God Himself. 

We will see them as gifts, as precious. 



You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on EarthThe Modest MomWhat Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every SeasonA Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul SurvivalGood Morning MondaysOakhill Homestead, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Faith and Fellowship Blog Hop, The Weekend Brew

31 comments:

  1. You just spoke to my heart and convicted me. We have six children ages 11 and under. Our three littles are 2 1/2, 1 1/2, and 2 months. So often I find myself saying not right now or I'm too tired to my children. But it is honestly no different than when we "just" had two. I still got tired, became distracted too easily, etc.
    " Because we can be unfaithful with one child or unfaithful with ten - The issue is a heart issue and a life issue and not a number issue.
    Are we being faithful? Am I being faithful? Am I engaging my children, leading them through all the events in the day to Jesus? Or am I merely trying to get through the day? "
    Thank you for your words of wisdom. You are so right.

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    1. You're welcome, Kimberly! It is something that I struggle with every day--may the Lord bless us both as we seek to honor Him with our children!

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  2. So well said. Motherhood is sacrificial. I am glad you took the moment with your daughter. I am a grandmother now and hope that I will listen when the Holy Spirit whispers for me to take a moment with a family member.

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    1. Carol, it is! The Lord keeps laying that upon my heart and I find that I continually need to look to Jesus for the strength that I need! I pray for the Lord's blessing upon you and your family.

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  3. Isn't this the truth. Though very hard at times to pause in the moments and soak in the spirit to teach and to nurture and love... Thank you for sharing this message with us.

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    1. You're welcome, JES; it is something that the Lord has been placing on my heart lately--I struggle all the time, but I'm just thankful for his grace in and through each moment.

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  4. Wow. This is amazing and just what I needed to read right now. So often I find myself just trying to get through my day instead of being present in it and using this day that the Lord has given to enjoy and teach and instruct my children. Thank you so very much for sharing your heart! So glad I found you at the Unite link-up.
    -Miranda at http://rahabtoriches.com/

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    1. Miranda, me too! It's something that the Holy Spirit has been impressing on my heart. I'm thankful for His patience and grace towards me. I'm glad that you visited! :-)

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  5. This has been on my heart. I have a 10, 8, 6 and 3 year old. There are times I feel so weary and not engaged with my children like I want to be. Miranda said it--getting through the day instead of being present in it. I am conscious of stopping more, of seizing the moment instead of letting it pass by. Of saying "yes" when saying "no" is easier. You are so right; our young blessings truly are precious. Thank you for the encouragement.

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    1. You're welcome, Heather; I'm glad that it was an encouragement! God bless you--

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  6. Slow down and pay attention that's the takeaway here. Kids need obedience and structure but they also need patience and kindness and (i love the phrase) to be seen as precious!

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    1. Yes, exactly, Kevin--sometimes I'm rushing through the day to try to "accomplish" everything and when I slow down and listen to the voice of the Spirit speaking to me, His will is truly accomplished through me. I'm glad that you visited; God bless you!

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  7. So true! I know I sometimes catch myself quickly after a "no", or the beginning of one, stopping and recognizing that Baby Boy is showing me something as I've shown him and he wants to help. He wants me to show him more, to help him learn, to grow. If I don't I'm not giving love in that instance, I'm not showing up and being present. Sometimes I stop, sometimes I don't, but more often than not I take that step back and I let my desires go...even if only for a short time. :)

    Swinging by from Capture Your Journey!

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    1. Yes; exactly--you said it so well--

      Thank you for visiting; the Lord bless you :-).

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  8. Well said, Rebekah. A good reminder for me - see them as precious. They aren't getting in the way of my work, they are my work. What a great response from your friend to encourage you (and for you to share with us) to be faithful to the children we do have.

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    1. Yes, so true--they ARE our work, a blessing and not a burden . . . I'm so glad that you stopped by--the Lord bless you :-).

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  9. This spoke to my heart. Thank you for sharing this, I needed the reminder. And I just had to share this all over social media. I pray the words reach mothers who need them.

    God bless and thank you for linking with Woman to Woman's Word Filled Wednesday! Please join us again next Wednesday.

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    1. Jenifer, I'm so glad that it was an encouragement! The Lord has really been placing it upon my heart lately . . . thank you for sharing it. Have a blessed week :-).

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  10. I REALLY needed this today. I'm just feeling overwhelmed. Physically and emotionally spent. I find myself biting my tongue today as our toddler is playful getting into things, trying to help by "sweeping" or pulling out Christmas decorations that I just put away. I am stuck in my own world this morning and it is taking every ounce in me to stay patient with her, which I hate because she is so sweet and not doing anything wrong and I know the way I'm feeling today is not "me." She's down for her nap at the moment and I just prayed for God to help me through today and all its heavy emotions, then I finish and happen to read your article (the first of your articles I've ever read) just following that prayer. You've left me in tears. God certainly meant for me to find you today. Thank you for the encouragement. I found you on Fellowship Friday. I look forward to reading more of your work. God bless.

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    1. Kristi, I've been struggling with the same things--I'm so glad that it was an encouragement! May the Lord bless us both as we seek His strength and grace in each moment--

      God bless you, also-- :-)

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  11. This is such a beautiful post. The Lord has really been working on my heart in this area, and I am so encouraged by your words. I pray to be faithful and to see our children as He sees them . . . absolutely precious.

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    1. Veronica, I'm glad that it was encouraging! Thank you for stopping by; the Lord bless us both as we seek to be faithful to Him :-).

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  12. Hi :) I found your Blog from TitusTuesday at the Time Warp Wife. I loved reading this post. I even read it aloud to my husband as he held our 11 week old baby boy. We have 6 children, three of which are 3 and under. I'm a homeschooling mom and an author of an evangelical Christian book series. I am busy. And I too have to remind myself that this time with my littles is precious. Thank you for such a sweet post.

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    1. You're welcome, Kristy! I'm glad that you enjoyed this post! May the Lord bless you and your family! :-)

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  13. Yes, it's not an issue of how many but how faithful we are. Amen. Thanks, neighbor. Blessings to you and yours.

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  14. This is lovely. Certainly a different perspective from the world's, about our bodies, time and lives not being our own. Bless you xx

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    1. Thank you, MB! The Lord bless you also; have a wonderful week! :-)

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    2. Thank you, you too :)

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  15. Thank you. We won't live in the moment and soak up the special moments with our children if we're not focusing on their preciousness.

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    1. That is true! I'm glad that you visited; God bless you!

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