What Matters

You can be proud of your children in so many ways from when they are small to full grown adults.  My kids have certainly given me reason over the years to be proud of them tons of times. 

Josh learning to ride his bike at age 3!  That'll make a mama proud.

Piano recitals

All "A"s, Honors Banquets

All Stars

 Basketball Hoops

First Hula Hoops

Learning to play the drums

Miss Congeniality, Relay for Life Fundraising efforts, Top of the class

Scholarships
I wont forget when Mark won the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Award/Scholarship.

Salutatorian

Valedictorian

 Masters Degree

I have never been more proud of Casey as when she gave birth to tiny Avery and I saw what a wonderful mommy she was, working soooo hard to keep that preemie healthy.  So proud

 I have so many many reasons to be thankful for and proud of my kids.

However, this is not a post written for the purpose of bragging.  It is one where I contemplate if I have done enough.  I certainly know life is not all about achievements or honors.  I believe it is about our Heavenly Father and His plans. 

What is it that is really important when they are toddling, all the way up until they have toddlers themselves?  It's Him.  Our relationship with God- How we enter that relationship, how we use it, how we share it.  It's Him

When the kids are toddling around, the most important thing really isn't whether or not they take those first steps by age 12 months or somewhere thereabout.  Its really, even at that small age that they know that Jesus loves them.  That's why we sing "Jesus Loves Me".  It's why we say night time prayers with them and teach them to say grace over their food before we eat. 

I have an old family video of Josh when he was learning to point out to you where his ears were, where his eyes were... In this particular video I was getting him to do those things and then I said, "Okay Josh, say the blesssing, say your prayers".  He bowed his head, puts his hands together and did what he usually did at that time - saying rather softly "Pray the Bible, pray the Bible, pray the Bible, babble babble, Amen".  --So small and not having understanding but knowing this, praying and the Bible went hand in hand. 

We teach them from when they are small - It's about God, this life we live. 

"Hear O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up".  Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Our children grow and learn and achieve.  We watch over them and are blessed.  They become teens, then adults themselves with jobs and children of their own.  All along, all the time being taught... What matters, is God.  I pray I have taught my children well enough so that as life carries on, they too will know and teach others as well as their own children this real truth.

Proverbs 22:6  says "Train up a child in the way he should go:  and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

I am so thankful for that promise from Gods word.