A Comment and An Answer

Comment: [Our local homeschool support group presented a concert and art display, and my children participated.]

How do you stand it? You must be so proud of all your children..thankful for all they have allowed God to do in their lives. Sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of shaping so many little lives, I just think about His power and greatness. I'm not capable, yet He is. When the gravity of the situation seems too much to handle, I remember that as long as I'm willing, He's there. He works. Often I cry out to him and ask for help with these little ones, for their training, teaching, and help with exactly how to love them, before I even finish uttering the request, He is granting it.

I know all this, yet times like last night help to encourage me to keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep trusting. Every once in awhile it gets a bit crazy around here (and I'm sure you don't even understand that one little bit!) Especially when mom is unprepared. Like I was this morning. YET, I remember what you wrote about reaping. When that season for me comes, I want it to look a lot like yours. So, again I ask...how can you stand it? You must be praising His name more than ever! I know I am.

Answer:
I am blessed, way over the top blessed -- blessed to overflowing by ALL my children. I consider each one to be a trophy of God's grace in my life. For starts, without Him -- without His Word, they would not exist. They would not be. Period. I was a "no kids for me" feminist. His Word transformed my heart to believe and understand the beauty of a life created by Him for His purpose, and the incredible privilege of teaming with Him to see it accomplished. I thank Him always for the power of His wonderful Word. Where would I be today without it? Not here, not experiencing this richness, not reaping all that I am reaping.

Secondly, I understood from His word that my part was one of stewardship. They are His. Knowing that allows me to seek His will for them and not my own, and it grants me absolute confidence that He will provide for them, since they are His own. How did He dare entrust such beauty to me? For this I also learned to trust in His wisdom. "All things work together for good..." If they will seek Him, them even my mistakes will work for their good. Amazing...

Knowing that He was the one with final ownership, that He was their heavenly Father, that He was the ultimate authority, caused me to walk in fear -- a healthy fear. I would answer to Him for my care of them. I wanted to honor Him in my mothering. It caused me to seek after diligence, and to thrust my failure upon His mercy. He has been my equipper, and my shield in times of failure.

Thirdly, my love for Him has always been my motivation. Receiving His love allowed me to love Him in return, and that opened my heart to genuinely love them. Oh, how I love them! How I believe every Word, every promise for them. There is not a doubt in my mind and heart that He has wonderful things for them. They are fearfully and wonderfully made, and that I know right well. I act upon that knowledge, I speak that knowledge, I base my life upon that knowledge. Faith is released for them because of that knowledge. We must KNOW that He is for them, that He has beautifully and wondrously created them, that they are incredibly precious in His sight -- so precious that He died for them! They are WONDERFUL!!

People wonder how our kids can all be so free to seek Him in their own way, how they can be so supportive of one another without any sense of envy or strife or jealousy, how they can walk in such leadership and confidence. We all know that it is ultimately His doing, but I also believe that we have encouraged them to cheer each other on, because we cheer them on. We have joyfully accepted God's design in their lives. It doesn't matter if they have this gift or that gift. It doesn't matter if they fail when they step out and try something. We are not embarrassed by that. We do not expect them to be something God has not made them to be. They are free to explore and discover their unique giftings, and as a family we celebrate freely and enthusiastically any gift discovered. If it is academic, hooray! If they are administrative, hooray! If they sing, hooray! If they painted a wonderful picture, hooray! If they understand the insides of a computer, hooray! If they enjoy gardening, hooray! Are you starting to see? We rejoice over every gift and never put them down for a failure. We just recognize where the lack is as well as the "endowment", and we determine that God has called them to use the gift He has given. It all comes from Him, so it is all GOOD! It is ALL GOOD!!

Well, I didn't expect to write a book, although maybe I will consider using this as a topic someday! I could go on and on. And you already have one of the world's longest comments! But it is your own fault. You brought up my children and the joy I have in them! I will end here, but if I raised any questions or thoughts, just let me know. I'll be glad to say more! :)