funny how things change
birthdays have always been a big deal in my family
each year the day begins with a phone call serenade of the classic “happy birthday to you!”
from the sisters and their families
and from Precious or Daddy-O or both
a day of special treatment
exemption of chores
homemade birthday cake
hours full of love and laughter & usually a few presents to boot!
as the years go by
each one a little sweeter
cherished a little more than the year before….
yesterday we took our oldest rascal to Ponderosa Bible Camp for the week
and it would have been more emotional if he hadn’t been so stinkin’ excited!
He was beside himself
counting the hours and minutes until check-in
on the way he said
“Mom, I’m sorry I won’t be with you on your birthday.”
“It’s okay son”
“What am I going to get you for your birthday momma?”
“You know what I want more than anything in the world, son?”
“What momma?”
“For you to know Jesus as your Savior.”
he just smiled at me
no words were necessary
he’d already told me earlier in the week one evening during one of our many discussions about camp
“You know what momma? I might get saved at camp.”
I smiled
and said
“I’ll be praying for you son”
he smiled
again, no words necessary
We talk a lot about the Lord around here
we think it’s important
We talk about all the others”things” that are important to us
right??
so why not the Lord, and His goodness and His faithfulness and His forgiveness and His LOVE
and it’s true
more than ANYTHING in this world I want my children to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior
I prayed for their salvation before I ever saw their faces
before I ever felt them move
I pray for their eternal lives daily
why?
because it’s the one that matters most
had a pastor present it like this once
“imagine a BIG pile of rope
you can’t see the end
it goes round and round and round
piled high
making a great mound
you’re holding the other end in your hand
the last two inches colored red….
“you see the red part of this rope? it represents our time on this earth. you see the rest of this rope? that’s
eternity.”
we spend so much money, sweat and tears worrying over this life
a vapor
when in reality
it’s eternity that we need to be preparing for
so today
instead of gifts for my birthday
I’ve asked those who are nearest to me to
pray.
pray for my children
for their hearts’
pray for Tucker at camp
to come to know the Lord
because Jesus said in John 3: 5
“The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives life from Heaven..
and I challenge you
if you haven’t or you don’t speak to your children often about the Lord
start today
teaching and believing
as Nicodemus did
as I have
“For God so love the world He gave His only Son, so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life”
John 3:16
because it matters
a lot!
really
more than anything.
So this morning during my “quiet time with the Lord” I read my daily meditation and life of the saint which happened to be my child’s namesake. I learned about a precious person Saint Emily de vialar and how her life affected the eternal souls of many. It made me shoot an email to my precious daughter about her namesake because like you I care dearly for their eternal souls. Praying for you on your birthday and thanking God that our path in life has crossed and how it helps me keep the faith.
Sweet, sweet Kathy..your gracious words almost made me cry…It is I that am most thankful the Lord has allowed us such a sweet season of friendship…
Karmen, I do not have children but have been reading “two minute drill” by John Croyle (he started the Big Oak boys and girls ranch), it is about how to raise Godly men from a young age or how to teach daughters what to look for in a man. Thought you might be interested in reading. As always, thank you for inspiring posts!
Thanks Amy for the book suggestion..Love John Croyle’s ministry and his heart for kids..Your kind words humble and encourage me to keep writing..thank you!