A Mother's Day Reflection

It's Mother's Day today and I've been feeling a bit nostalgic. It's been a number of years since my children have really needed any "mothering" from me. But sometimes it feels like yesterday that they were little tikes.

On my way home from church, I was thinking about an audio tape that we made of the kids when they were young. Back then, I had made a memory verse chart that I posted on the refrigerator and each day at lunch, we would work on memorizing a verse off of that chart. My son, David, was probably about four and my daughter, Elizabeth, was not quite two.

So, today when I got home from church, I found the tape and played part of it. I couldn't keep from smiling as I listened to those sweet little voices; my son chattering in his little boy voice and my daughter trying to repeat everything he said.

But when I heard them begin to recite their Bible verses, my eyes filled with tears. How precious to hear those young voices reciting scripture and know the value those words would have in their lives in the years ahead.

As parents, we do our best to give our children the things that will help them in life. We love them, provide for them, educate them and pray for them. But one of the best things we can give them is God's Word. The younger they are when they begin to hide His Word in their hearts, the better. Those scriptures build a foundation that will always be there for them. And as they get older and face the challenges of life, God's Word will not fail them.

When I look back on my years of parenting, there are things I wish I had done differently. But I am so grateful for those simple lunches with my children, when we fed both our bodies and our souls.