This Christmas season I have considered the importance of Christmas. Mary and the whole world (past, present, and future generations) welcomed the greatest gift to humanity EVER in the form of an innocent little baby. Jesus chose to come as a baby. Babies are gifts! They bring new life and hope and promise.
Life is quick to happen. Our time with them is so short. It saddens me when I look around and see so few children cherished, nurtured, and loved the way they deserve. We are guilty at times of this in our own home, and beg Gods forgiveness and grace in helping us give them the godly example of HIS love.
As we love the Father because He first loved us, similarly will they learn of His love through us which will enable them to love God and others better.
Our job as parents and mothers is so important. I remember when I was first staying at home with Teá and how conflicted I felt about staying home (which actually lasted about 3 years). Many around me made me feel as though I should be working. I felt that way, too. I didn't come from a home with a stay at home mom, and I always assumed and envisioned I would also be a working mom. Well meaning people would question things like whether my kids were getting enough socialization because they weren't in daycare, preschool, and now school, or whether I was offering them a good example of womanhood and being a productive member of society.
Yet, whenever I came to God in prayer over these and many other concerns, I was only left with the impression that we were right where we should be, and what a GIFT our family has been given to have each other. Of course there are the normal, everyday stresses of life, but in general we are spared a LOT of stress that naturally comes with two working parents, plus the stress of not being the primary caretakers of our children and finding suitable arrangements for them, and of giving up hours everyday with them. Not everyone can do this, and even more people who could choose not too for various reasons, and yet God has generously shown us the treasure that is found in pouring into our children in the ordinary moments of each day. I am grateful He has given us this wealth of treasure, the gift of time with my kids. The gift of not only being able to teach them but also show them each day how they are to live, how we are all to live, which is a virtuous life honoring God and living in love.
Parents have the moral responsibility of forming their children, and we will all give an account to God someday on how well we handled that ever important task given to us. Let's not turn our eyes another way or hope someone else will come along and do our job for us. With Gods help I am certain we can rise to the challenge and raise our children in a way that is worthy of what has been entrusted to us (which is their very soul!!).
It's also very evident (at least I personally think so) how the family is under such attack in today's culture. It is being torn apart, mocked, trampled upon, and reimagined. The family is supposed to be a beautiful reminder of the family of God, of His church, even of His very nature. We should all be very prayerful in regard to how we construct our lives at home. It's easy to be swayed and swept away by the current ideologies or cultural norms. This is not Gods Will however. Family is the most basic unit of society and holds it together. It is also the means by which God has chosen many of us to live out our vocations and grow in holiness. Yet it is all too often ignored or pushed aside for other endeavors which do not have our holiness, sanctity, or for the glory of God in mind.
I pray that all would come to a greater realization of the true gift we are given to bring life into this world, and hopefully, into Heaven. We are taking part in Gods own creative nature as He allows the creation of new human beings to come to life through us. Each one is unique, irreplaceable, and beautifully made in His image with a special mission only that one person can carry out.
I'm so grateful for another life God has given us that we will get to meet and welcome into our little family in a few short months. The girls anxiously await their new baby brother and couldn't be more excited! Neither could we! Thanks be unto God for all His blessings!
