Joyful Girls!

Oh, the job of Motherhood is immense. I reflected through sobs to by best friend, Laurie, that I cannot imagine what she is doing. These precious girls are hers to raise, what priceless gifts! Sometimes I have a hard time loving the children from my womb, whom I have bonded with since before they were born. Laurie became mom to these little princesses at ages one and three. I know many families blend, adopt, etc., but her situation is unique in that Mary and Sarah lost their mom Heidi when Sarah was born. Heidi was a friend of mine from MOMS group at church, and it was quite an earthquake shocker when we lost her. Her husband Dave has been amazing to raise the girls; and also, God found in His good pleasure and grace to give Dave an awesome new wife in Laurie and an amazing mom for Mary and Sarah. I stand in wonder at God's plan for all of their lives. I know how much I love and treasure Laurie as a person and that these girls will be blessed to have her in their lives. My "moment" of tears during my visit was over how Heidi is missing these memories......not seeing the girls twirl their dresses at the beach, or celebrate their birthdays, or spill their cereal, for that matter. It's one of those wake-up-call, AH-HAH moments when you realize that life is but a breath. Enjoy each day. Each hug, each kiss, each snuggle, each mess, each poopy diaper! For real, life is passing us by! I want to be able to look back on my kids' childhood years and know that I was "present" and I was enjoying them. I think this is the way God would have it. As for Heidi, she's fine. She's celebrating life with Jesus in heaven and enjoying getting to be with Him. I am the one that doesn't understand the perspective of eternity and heaven, so I think Heidi would be sad missing her girls' milestones. However, I just don't think that's the case theologically. Emotionally I am projecting how I feel about my kids and how I think I would miss them (because I am stuck in my finite mind and my earth-grounded love) and in the context I forget Who life is all about and Who IS life! My Jesus. He is the all in all; the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is Peace, Hope, Joy and Love. He is everything we will ever need and more. More than we can imagine. He will fill our eternal lives with great joy in His presence. When we die, we will let go of every sorrow, suffering or pain; any hurt, fear, regret or bitterness...........all gone. We enter his presence with only the Grace He has given us, and the gifts of everlasting life that He was able to bring to life by living His Life in us, bringing us to completion and maturity, and transforming us to become more and more like Christ Jesus. When we meet Him, he will find us beautiful, for we shall be as He is!

As I ponder, I can't help but revisit the joys of this life. Yes, they are good. They are pleasing. We should enjoy the moments. But we need to place them in the paradigm of eternity. Like Jim Eliot is famous for saying, before he laid down his life as a missionairy in Equador, "He is no fool who gives what He cannot keep, to gain what He cannot lose." I believe I should savor each day I have with my kids, and love them to pieces; but even more importantly, Show them Who is LOVE and Who is Joy, Who is LIFE! Because if somehow, by God's grace, I have Shown that ONE to my kids, I have done my mothering well.