I believe children are angels sent to show the rest of us people how to live. I believe they are indeed a reward from the Lord, and that they are the reason many of us are who we are today. I'm not talking about you're a "Mom" because you have a child. That's now the "who you are" I'm talking about. I'm talking about your character; your beliefs; your value system. Children really do help shape that.
When I'm in the car and an inappropriate song comes on, I'm ashamed if my son has to tell me it's inappropriate in order before I change it. I just hope they won't hear or understand the "naughty" parts. But they know, and it has edited what I listen to, and I believe the same goes for my husband. I re-think my urges to go out and hit the town whenever I think of it-what if they wake up sick and need me? What if there's a fire and I'm not there to save them? You start thinking a little more clearly and hyper-sensitively when a child is involved. For those of you turning up your nose and thinking of that one person you know who does NOT act or think in these ways (an immature parent), let's have good faith for every parent in this post. Just pretend.
Parents say they will do "anything" for their children. And I believe most of them; I know I feel the same way. My birth mother once told me she would jump in front of a bus to save my life. I didn't understand that kind of need to urgently protect until I had my own brood. Now I would fight a grown man bare-handed if I had to. I would touch a spider(my worst phobia ever) if it was on my child and they were screaming in fear.
I have been so grateful for my children lately. I have been really experiencing firsthand the tortures of attacks on my emotional wellbeing, and it's so easily tempting to think that if I could just take a handful of pills or step in front of a bus all the suffering could be over, like that. Then I think, "But how upsetting a solution for my family." How immature to want relief to come, just like that. Healing is an ongoing process, not something that is finally reached and never needs to be discovered again. I can honestly say that God has preserved my life by giving me angels who adore me and need me to be here for them.
For those of you sitting in shock over this last paragraph and reaching for the phone to bombard me with calls to see if I'm ok, please don't. I'm being very honest with you right now, so listen up. Many people who struggle with emotional wellbeing, or mental wellness/illness, WHATEVER name you stick it under, feel these thoughts quite commonly. They just aren't expressed because of fear; fear that others will call us crazy, fear that doctors will give us medication that will counteract our thoughts and turn us into "normal" robots, fear that we will be seen as inadequate, "not all there", or unstable. But aren't we all, in fact, all of these things? How is it different for me to struggle with wanting to live at times when suffering is at its peak than for you to want a Motrin when your migraine becomes unbearble. "But that's different," you protest. Is it? At some point, the pain needs to stop because it is overwhelming for you, and life needs to go on (yes, it is ironic that those who are depressed or suffer other emotional distresses want to move on by leaving this life.) We all share this human need to seek relief from pain b/c pain is not supposed to be a part of our biological makeup; in the beginning, there was no pain, suffering, heartache, or death. We are what's left after gazillions of years of turmoil. No one should be surprised to see that it's become downright unbearable after years of culminating worsening life events and natural disasters that have torn apart families, support systems, love, and grace. There is so much separation in our Christ-body that it is not uncommon to feel alone in one's struggles. And the Lord said, "It is not good for man to be alone" and offered the vow to "never leave us or forsake us." Lord, I know I need to lean on this promise more than ever.
Back to how children bring life: The spirits of children hold the key to the kingdom of heaven, which is a place that houses everlasting life. Children are trusting, forgiving, faith-filled, faith-defending, questioning, learning, and emotionally translucent individuals. They are beautiful and sweet, and have turned many a life around by simply existing. Even children who have not gotten to see this Earth but have fast-tracked to everlasting life (through death before birth) have the potential to teach us and make us better individuals. I praise God for the Life of our Earth, our children. Jesus Himself came to us, not as a King with a crown, but as a baby born in a barn in a feeding trough. But He brought so much inspiration and hope to this life knowing what He would grow to be and grow to do. I don't think it's by accident that God sent His Son in that form. God used a child to feed a stadium full of people, and healed a woman's demon-possessed daughter based on the persistence and wit of the non-Jewish mother, who fought for healing for her child. God used a baby Moses to lead a nation out of slavery (when he grew up, of course) and a young brother Joseph to feed hungry nations. He called a young boy named David to defend Israel and slay a menacing opponent when the grown men behind him cowered. God uses our children to sustain our world. I praise God right now. And although my job gets rough, and days seem to never end, and suffering seems unbearable, I want my children to wake up the next morning and see me there to get through it with them, and to learn what they have to teach me about life. My children have saved my life, and I know many others have been saved by their children. The next time you see one, thank God for that blessing, because Lord knows, we need them.
Love, Monica
When I'm in the car and an inappropriate song comes on, I'm ashamed if my son has to tell me it's inappropriate in order before I change it. I just hope they won't hear or understand the "naughty" parts. But they know, and it has edited what I listen to, and I believe the same goes for my husband. I re-think my urges to go out and hit the town whenever I think of it-what if they wake up sick and need me? What if there's a fire and I'm not there to save them? You start thinking a little more clearly and hyper-sensitively when a child is involved. For those of you turning up your nose and thinking of that one person you know who does NOT act or think in these ways (an immature parent), let's have good faith for every parent in this post. Just pretend.
Parents say they will do "anything" for their children. And I believe most of them; I know I feel the same way. My birth mother once told me she would jump in front of a bus to save my life. I didn't understand that kind of need to urgently protect until I had my own brood. Now I would fight a grown man bare-handed if I had to. I would touch a spider(my worst phobia ever) if it was on my child and they were screaming in fear.
I have been so grateful for my children lately. I have been really experiencing firsthand the tortures of attacks on my emotional wellbeing, and it's so easily tempting to think that if I could just take a handful of pills or step in front of a bus all the suffering could be over, like that. Then I think, "But how upsetting a solution for my family." How immature to want relief to come, just like that. Healing is an ongoing process, not something that is finally reached and never needs to be discovered again. I can honestly say that God has preserved my life by giving me angels who adore me and need me to be here for them.
For those of you sitting in shock over this last paragraph and reaching for the phone to bombard me with calls to see if I'm ok, please don't. I'm being very honest with you right now, so listen up. Many people who struggle with emotional wellbeing, or mental wellness/illness, WHATEVER name you stick it under, feel these thoughts quite commonly. They just aren't expressed because of fear; fear that others will call us crazy, fear that doctors will give us medication that will counteract our thoughts and turn us into "normal" robots, fear that we will be seen as inadequate, "not all there", or unstable. But aren't we all, in fact, all of these things? How is it different for me to struggle with wanting to live at times when suffering is at its peak than for you to want a Motrin when your migraine becomes unbearble. "But that's different," you protest. Is it? At some point, the pain needs to stop because it is overwhelming for you, and life needs to go on (yes, it is ironic that those who are depressed or suffer other emotional distresses want to move on by leaving this life.) We all share this human need to seek relief from pain b/c pain is not supposed to be a part of our biological makeup; in the beginning, there was no pain, suffering, heartache, or death. We are what's left after gazillions of years of turmoil. No one should be surprised to see that it's become downright unbearable after years of culminating worsening life events and natural disasters that have torn apart families, support systems, love, and grace. There is so much separation in our Christ-body that it is not uncommon to feel alone in one's struggles. And the Lord said, "It is not good for man to be alone" and offered the vow to "never leave us or forsake us." Lord, I know I need to lean on this promise more than ever.
Back to how children bring life: The spirits of children hold the key to the kingdom of heaven, which is a place that houses everlasting life. Children are trusting, forgiving, faith-filled, faith-defending, questioning, learning, and emotionally translucent individuals. They are beautiful and sweet, and have turned many a life around by simply existing. Even children who have not gotten to see this Earth but have fast-tracked to everlasting life (through death before birth) have the potential to teach us and make us better individuals. I praise God for the Life of our Earth, our children. Jesus Himself came to us, not as a King with a crown, but as a baby born in a barn in a feeding trough. But He brought so much inspiration and hope to this life knowing what He would grow to be and grow to do. I don't think it's by accident that God sent His Son in that form. God used a child to feed a stadium full of people, and healed a woman's demon-possessed daughter based on the persistence and wit of the non-Jewish mother, who fought for healing for her child. God used a baby Moses to lead a nation out of slavery (when he grew up, of course) and a young brother Joseph to feed hungry nations. He called a young boy named David to defend Israel and slay a menacing opponent when the grown men behind him cowered. God uses our children to sustain our world. I praise God right now. And although my job gets rough, and days seem to never end, and suffering seems unbearable, I want my children to wake up the next morning and see me there to get through it with them, and to learn what they have to teach me about life. My children have saved my life, and I know many others have been saved by their children. The next time you see one, thank God for that blessing, because Lord knows, we need them.
Love, Monica
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