Stay little. Never grow up.

I am trying to capture these moments as much as possible to photos and pictures in my mind, but I cannot capture you in a time warp that keeps your hand small enough to fit inside my own.

With four children in tow, I stop often to remember the baby steps, first words, training wheels and legible sentence. The sweetness is there, but it tries to allude me as they run faster, outgrow shoes, and eat us out of house and home. Oh, children, stay small.

They often laugh and scoff at me as I take 100 pictures at an hour long event. Too many photos, yes, but you know half of them will be blurry so I will take just a few dozen more. I want to remember this forever.

Snuggles in bed seem to be with more silly antics of memories than relaxing bits before the sun completely rises. Only one child crawls in bed now, while the others groan at the rays of I light I allow in through the blinds at morning time.

Now we start to look to the future while we plan to go to college fairs. How did we get to this point? My heart breaks as my chicks  learn to take flight and soar. I love them dearly and will send my kisses after them always, but why did they grow so quickly and allow time to fly?

Proverbs 22:6 ESV 

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

 

When I first became a mother, there were so many trials. I could write books and books about special needs, hospital stays, and triumphs over adversity.

Add three more children into the mix and I could include a whole volume on how to survive sleep depravity, postpartum depression, a spouse that works a lot, and living thousands of miles from the grandparents. And the list still goes on as we face health issues, college applications, another move and all the volunteering we do in the middle. The job seems to never end, but when it does, what will become of me? Will my cup finally hit empty, and my work will be all done?

I have to keep remembering that the Lord has given me a grand opportunity that I never dreamed of under taking. He planted four little lives in my lap to told me to fly. Disciple, train, educate and discipline, He said. Your ministry starts in the home and will expand from there. Your children’s testimony will make your work go on forever. The legacy of faith, hope, and love will continue on through your children’s work. Your labor of love and sleeplessness will not be in vain.

Psalm 127:3

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.

Yes they are a grand heritage from the Lord, a lavished blessing from Our Father. His gifts will be paid forward in the works they will do for the kingdom.

As I face the inevitability of age, I will have to rely upon the Lord more than ever. My purpose has been wife and mother. When one continues on and one is needed from afar, I think I might feel lost at times. If this ever comes to pass, I must rely on the words from Psalms that will be forever hidden in my heart. My youngest daughter’s favorite verse, the one that guides her as she grows, shall be mine as well.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Until the time comes and my children have flown off the furthest branch, I will hold tight to the Lord’s promises and the truth of my mission. I will continue to grow and nurture these little lives and provide all that I can according the will of God, and I will capture every possible moment in between.

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Today’s writing prompt is: CAPTURE from the 31 Days of Writing Prompts. Please find my other posts from this series that the following link.