A Spring of Joy

It’s so easy for me to get caught up in the now-ness, the busy-ness, the chaos.

It’s so easy when the evening has gotten away from us, and we are running like crazy to get them in bed and tucked in and lights out to then flop on the couch with a huge, “whew,” because I’m tired and ready for a moment to my introverted self.

It’s easy to just turn off lights and whisper, “I love you” and forget to care for their souls–to forget that tucking them under sheets and kissing faces is dear, but it is so much more dear to kneel with them and intercede for them when they can hear me and not just in the quiet of my own heart.

It is easy to think about their grades and their sports and their piano and their artwork and their goals and their dreams and forget their eternal destiny by focusing on the now.

It is easy to focus on their behavior and not the gospel.

It is easy to applaud their successes with them and weep with them in their failures and not really walk through it with them because relationship is hard.

This is job of parenting is wonderful. I cherish it. I cherish them.

These gifts.

These marvelous, amazing children.

They are so dear.

It is easy to forget that what is dearest is their hearts and souls.

“Precious, no doubt, are these little ones in your eyes; but if you truly love them, then often think about their souls. Nothing should concern you as greatly as their eternal destiny. No part of them should be so dear to you as that part which will never die.” (~J.C. Ryle)