The Children

Psalm 127   Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord.

Saturday night I received a text from my niece, Beth.  It is time for her daughters first hair cut and she asked me to do the honors.  I cried and so did Ken.  Maddie is the love of our heart.

Because I know how far the Lord has brought me these tender moments with my family make me so emotional.  There was a time when I wasn't worth knowing.

Leave the world better than you found it.  I am sure that you have heard this phrase.  Maddie is a perfect example of leaving the world in better shape than you found it.  All that she will ever become is a reflection of all that her family has poured into her life.  If success is a measure of our love for her then there is no end to what she will become.  She has been moulded  by us and we have been forever enriched because of her.  She is our heritage and our legacy.  A gift to us from God.

Families are a gift from God and this summer has been one of family reunions.  We have had a Bowen and a Gamble family reunion this summer.   All the things that I love and cherish are a result of their influence on my life.  My love of gardening, photography, reading and my faith in God have all been shared with me by my family.

One of my favorite memories of this summer will be singing with my sisters and my cousins this past weekend.  How could they have know that we sang my very favorite hymns.  I started out playing the piano but it was out of shape so we decided to sing without it and I am so glad.  Without the piano you could hear their harmony.  We share the same blood and we grew up together so it sounded so natural.  We are linked together by our families, by our heritage and by the Spirit of our God.  Knitted together in past and future.

These moments are only a shadow of what is to come.  There is coming a day when we will live together in a glorious land where there is no death, no sin, no separation.  In that day we will stand in the righteousness of our King and we will declare with one voice His glory!!  His majesty!!!  We will sing in perfect harmony of His great love for us and His never ending grace and favor.  He will be crowned the King of Glory and we will worship Him because He is worthy.  On that day I will stand with my family and honor the Father that brought it all into being.

And the thought of that is almost more than I can bear.

Father I can never thank You enough for the life that You have given me.  Thank You for restoring me to my family.  Thank You for my sweet mama who taught me to follow hard after You.  Thank You for all the people who poured themselves into my life.  I claim the hearts of each of them for Your kingdom Lord.  I want them all.  Let us not come to You empty handed but full with the lives of those that we love.  Let us not lose a single one.  Until that day Lord we will work to see Your kingdom come.