Mom: Woman of Faith Series

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Welcome back to "Mom: Woman of Faith".  Each Saturday a group of moms respond to a question essential to our lives as Christians and Mothers.  It is our hope that this series will spark reflection and growth for all those involved.  Please feel free to add your thoughts here or on facebook.  Thanks for being here, and for sharing in our journey as Christians and mothers.  We are always looking for more contributors!  Email nancy if interested.

This week's Question:

What is your biggest wish for your children?

Nancy

Small Things

I have lots of wishes for my children, big and small.  I hope they are better at sports than I was.  I hope they have great friends and wonderful teachers during their school years.  I hope that they excel academically and remain devoted to our family.

All of these hopes and wishes, however, pale in comparison to my biggest wish for my children: that they become saints!  That they get to heaven!  Really, what else could be greater than this wish?

My children are still very young and we are already trying to instill the faith in them. I can see, however, that this is going to be a long, long journey!  A few years ago I sat with my grandparents, who are very serious Christians, and listened to them talk about how they are still very actively working to help their children along their journey to heaven.  they know that this is their most important joy and work diligently at it.  Parenting is a bigger job than I ever thought it would be, but the reward of eternal life is a pretty good incentive! 

Barb

Family Soul Story

To answer this I must go back to the first date I had with my husband.  We shared those things that we valued most in life….  First was our Catholic Faith, secondly openness to Family and the wish to have a many children, and nature or the farm.  Since were both wanting the same things, we thought “why not?”  After a short long-distance dating, and a short engagement we were taking the final step in our preparation with our engagement weekend.  We were very excited to share our love of family and openness to having a large number of children.  We were shocked and saddened that no other couple agreed with us!  They all said that at most 2 children, some said only one or none because of the mess the world was in.  It even made me question if we were being selfish to have a lot of kids.  I asked my husband… he did not hesitate one instant…”  The world needs LIGHTS!”  he said.  This caused my fears to evaporate, and this has been the motto on which we have based our marriage/family.  

Now 34 years later….how has this all worked out for us….  We have 5 children here on earth, and 6 losses in heaven.  Sharing openly our pain of loss made us very close, and appreciate the Gift of LIFE!  “The world needs Lights” has carried forth into the marriages of our 3 married daughters, with openness to LIFE and sharing of Faith in their domestic Church – family.  We took very seriously sharing our Faith with great JOY and our greatest wish for our children – that they be LIGHTS in this world of darkness.  Now that three are grown with children of their own, and the other two are listening to a call to the priesthood and religious life… our wish is Truth, and they are sharing that Light with their old parents! There is no more wonderful gift than to be taken deeper by our children-lights!

Larua

Storybook Reality

As a Christian Mama there is nothing more I could ask for than for my children to follow hard after Christ.  If you aren't a believer that may sound weird.  What does that even mean?  Well...

Exhibit Love & Grace to Other--As Christians we believe it is by Grace we were saved (Eph 2:8)  My wish is that my children would exhibit that same grace to others.  That they would be kind and compassionate.  That they were serve others.  That they would humble themselves and put others first.

Seek God--I want them to seek the Lord in everything they do.  In our house we don't make big decision unless we are sure that is how God is leading us.  (Matt 6:33)

Men/Women of Prayer--I hope they will incorporate prayer (including THANKSGIVING) and devotional time into their daily lives.(I Thess 5:16-18)

As I read through this list it makes me realize that I have high (but appropriate) expectations.  And I know I definitely don't even live up to all of these all the time.  But if we continually seek the Lord's help and guidance in our lives He will sustain us!  We are fortunate that we serve a God that doesn't give up on us when we make mistakes.  So when I have a non compassionate moment or I don't choose to serve others, God always gives me another chance.  My goal is to model these things for my children!!  And I pray that I am able to do so!

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.Micah 6:8

 

Thank yoiu for being a part of this week's Mom, Woman of Faith.  For next week's question click here.