Talking A Lot About Cheez-Its

It's a tough job being a mommy...one of the hardest, if not the hardest I've ever had.  As parents we have a huge responsibility to raise the "godly offspring" God desires as told to us in Malachi.  This is a responsibility I've been taking a much harder look at lately...wondering exactly how I can do this.  Especially being a mom that works out of the home.  I think I've mentioned before that I've struggled a lot with this role.  It's something I've prayed about, cried about, and talked a lot about with my husband, but right now Gregg feels it's best I continue to work.  This is in no way meant to bad mouth my husband.  As the spiritual leader and decision maker for our family, I completely trust him.  So I am learning to accept and embrace this role, but it's coming with a lot of learning and growing. 

Oh, Will...To be completely honest, our approach to parenting for these first few years has been passive.  Gregg and I did not do a great job of speaking to Will about God, His love for us, and our absolute need for Him.  I figured, "He's little.  He won't understand.  We'll start when he's older."  Then it was, "Oh, he's speech delayed.  He won't understand.  We'll start when he catches up a little more."  I have been finding more and more reasons to avoid the responsibility and it has to stop...NOW!  The fact is this kid understands more than I realize, and the Bible clearly tells us to speak with our children about God...ALL THE TIME (Deut 6:7).  So whether or not I think he's able to understand, it's my responsibility to teach him about the wonders of God and all that goes along with that.  After that, God has to do the rest.  So, Will and I have been talking a lot more about Jesus lately.  And usually the conversation ends up being about Will's love for Cheez-Its...loving Jesus, loving Cheez-Its.  I guess it's all the same to him right now.  But I have to keep trying, and SHOWING him God's love by LIVING it myself, and praying for understanding for this dear, sweet little boy that I so desire to have with me in heaven one day.  When I think about the alternative, I realize I have NO OPTION other than to fulfill my responsibility as a mom...and I have to do it while working...it's not something I can delegate.  Nor is it something I want to.

My prayers are the same for Micah, although we are starting earlier with him.  It makes it easier that he has a big brother that he can watch as mom and dad teach Will about Christ.  These boys are such a gift, a gift that we actually never have complete possession of.  Gregg and I are trying to embrace the reality of that more and more each day and take precious care of these beautiful, albeit sinful, children God has entrusted to us.  May God give us the strength, wisdom, perseverance, humility, love, grace (and whatever else we may need) to be godly parents to these boys, and may He require our dependency while doing it.