Friday, June 19, 2009

Wise Woman Wisdom

This is something I read on a friend of mines BLOG.....From her Mother-in-law: Good Stuff!


I grow increasingly convinced that God values children much, much more than we do.

We value a clean floor more than children. We value free time more than children. We value the good dishes more than children. We value going out to eat or watching grown-up television shows more than we value children.

All the world, including the church, tells us that children are a bother, perhaps even a mistake. If you don’t believe that, introduce a family with many babies into your church and see how long it takes for someone to say, “They know what causes that, don’t they?”

We have let the world convince us that a large family is a curse, when the Bible clearly teaches that many children are a blessing, a sign of God’s great favor.

If I had the choice right now, there would be more children in my family. And I think I might be brave enough to let God decide how many.

I remember that it seemed a little frantic around my house when the children were little. I never got “it all” done, whatever “it all” is. There was not much privacy or money or free time. There was lots of laundry and garbage and stinky stuff. The boys were going to be 2 and 4 forever. It was never going to end.

Don’t get me wrong - I enjoyed my boys. But it was all colored by that worldly, selfish, hurry-up-and-grow-up attitude. And then it was over. I woke up one morning and they were almost as tall as me. The next day, or so it seemed, they didn’t even live with us. Now there is not much garbage or laundry or stinky stuff. And there is much more privacy and money and free time.

I’d trade it all in a heartbeat.

I would do laundry around the clock if it meant I could have one more day with my little boys in my home. I want the piles of blue jeans back. If my family had been larger, perhaps I would have grown in wisdom and learned to treasure the tiny victories and agonies of everyday. Perhaps not, but at least it would have lasted longer.

You think they’ll be little forever. You can’t imagine being able to handle – afford – care for another little life. But you can. And it will be over before you know it, with plenty of years left to use the good dishes.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know who wrote this but maybe I was a little different. I felt like I had time to sit on the floor and play jacks or roll a ball til he learned to catch it. The house was a mes a lot of times. Always clothes to be folded and dishes to be washed, but we managed to get to the ball games and the school plays. My children were so very important. I had the family with a lot of children. Bless my four boys. Never regretted a single one of them.
It was great. Exhausting, yes. But great anyway.
They grow up way too fast. Enjoy.
Love you all. Mema

Jaime Parham said...

Aww, I love that Jana. It made me cry. I feel myself doing that sometimes...wishing things were easier...that maybe when they're "older" it will ease up. This really helped put it all in perspective. I love being a mom above all else in my life and sometimes I need a reminder to sit back and enjoy it...ALL of it. Thanks for sharing!

Love,
Jaime