Investing in our Kid's Lives

This past weekend, I took K out for a Mommy/Daughter date. I have to be honest and tell you that a year ago this would have been the last thing in the world I would have wanted to do difficult. She has come SUCH a long way in the last little while and I can confidently say that I LOVE taking her places now! She is growing into such a delightful young lady and I love the sweet spirit that God is cultivating in her. 

We went and ate supper at Chick-fil-A then a quick haircut. As we arrived at Chick-fil-A, she calmly told me what she wanted to eat and then she stood quietly beside me as we waited for our food. For those of you who know K, this may shock you. Yes, it’s true, she was completely still and calm waiting in line. Every time I’d look down at her holding my hand, she’d smile up at me and squeeze my hand. 

We took our food and sat down at the table she chose- one that was directly facing a woman with her two kids. One was a boy that looked to be about 9 and the other was a teenage daughter. While I went to get Ketchup Karsyn struck up a friendship with this woman and was playing Peek-a-boo with her when I returned.  The woman gave me a quick glance and her eyes teared up. She said, “These days go so fast. Treasure each one”.  Then she turned back around and continued her meal with her two kids. Her son sat and played on a video game and her daughter was texting her friends. 

As I watched them I quickly realized that she is right. Before I know it, Karsyn won’t care a bit about holding my hand and running to jump into my arms when I pick her up from church. She won’t light up when she sees me across the room and she won’t be desperate to spend time with me. One day her Daddy and I WON’T be the center of her universe and she won’t want to spend every waking moment asking us “Why?” questions.  Her sweet innocence will one day be replaced and gone forever. The days of her dressing in her princess gown and spinning around and around asking for Daddy to dance with her will one day stop. 

So you know what I want to do? I’m going to soak it in. When she asks me to build a tower with her instead of mopping my filthy kitchen floor, I will. When she is playing in her sandbox, I’ll jump in and play with her too. The next time she looks at me and says “Mommy, let’s snuggle and watch a movie!”, I will! 

The Proverbs31 devotion today was about this same topic. Here’s what Lynn Cowell wrote, “You can be the artesian in the life of your daughter, with the Master Artesian as your teacher. You can be the one the Lord has appointed to take the rough piece of stone and carve it into the graceful pillar, fit for a palace. But it will take time, prayer, grace and patience.”

It is my desire that I will teach Karsyn who she is in the Lord and to love Him more than anyone or anything else. By investing in her life now, she will begin to see her value and worth in the eyes of her Creator. Lynn also wrote, “What our girls long for is to be known. To feel like they matter. To believe someone sees them as valuable and significant. Maybe that is why God created mothers — to be the conduit for the power of His truth to our children. It is our place to teach our daughters exactly how He sees them. We can be the voice that says, “…out of all creation, [you] became his prized possession.” James 1:18 (NLT)

Are you in a season of life right now where you’re investing every bit of yourself into the lives of your children? I know that it is exhausting, demanding, and seems never-ending at times. But hang in there, friend. Focus all your energy on the task God has given you. We are raising our children to know Him and to make Him known. And as difficult as this task is, there is no more noble or worthy task to attempt.
Love you all!