It has been over twenty-five years since my father went to be with Jesus. Only two years of my father’s life were spent seeking God. It was hard to say good-bye to him, because I was just getting to know him. One of those years was spent fighting pancreatic cancer, so really only one year was available for us to bond. During that year we talked about life…..he gave me guidance……shared wisdom for me to ponder…..gave warning…….and related to me. I am very thankful for those talks.
Life can take over, if we don’t seize the moment. As parents we can become content to just raise our children. We can count our lives a success if we just provide food, clothing and comfort when they get a cut or bruise. The title “Mommy” comes with a greater responsibility than that. We are called to train our children, not to entertain or to just contain them. Training involves directing, correcting and nurturing. I remember a time when the children were small that I was going through my days with an attitude of making it through until the next nap. My days were marked with success as I achieved the sleeping landmarks I had laid out. There was not a lot of joy in those days—it was more like holding my breath, hoping time would go fast until the next rest. Amidst one of those dull days, God whispered my name. I barely heard Him, yet, the conviction was huge. “What’s your vision?” was what I heard. Vision?! I was surviving. God was telling me there was more. I had lost focus and was just raising my children; it was time to regain the vision God had given us and train these gifts from the Lord. As I turned back to the high calling I had received, a new energy and joy joined the purposeful parenting. My love for being a mom returned. Of course, I still had and have days that my vision is blurry, but to focus on training, over just raising children, has made all the difference.