the Blessing of Children

Psalm 127 

1         Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.  Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

2         In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those He loves.

3         Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from Him.

4         Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.

5         Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

I had often thought of my children as my spiritual weapons, ever since a few years back when I last read this psalm.  All 4 of my children have expanded my personal ministry base and broaden my spiritual outlook considerably. 

My daughter Christine, who had lived only 11 days after being born, had opened up the emotional issue of abortion, the hidden grief of miscarriage, and the secret guilt of a mother in my life.  I would not have known a little of the hearts of so many mothers if it wasn’t for Christine.  Now looking back 18 years after her passing, I still have a part of the grief, but even more, I have joy knowing how God had used her life as a testimony to help so many. 

My son Wesley introduced me to the world of boys.  When other moms talked about their sons, I can find common ground to share.  From trains to Transformers to swords and Star Wars to Lego’s to Rubik’s Cubes and various puzzles, he’s my first-born.  He loves math and science but despises art and drawing.  He turned from one who doesn’t care much for learning music to one who wants to worship God on his guitar.  He also went through 10 years of dental treatment, and this experience made him fearless of dentists and needles.  His faith journey changed him from the inside out.

My daughter Stephanie turns out to be the opposite of her brother in both interests and personality.  She’s my sensitive artist and musician, a loner who needed lots of encouragement, my prayer warrior and partner.  Her earlier interests in dolls and dresses has matured into fashion and cartooning/doodling.  She’s the most consistent out of all my children and the most caring and loyal.  Stephanie struggles more with academics and helps me empathize more with parents who have similar struggles.

My daughter Esther is my youngest “cute as a button, sharp as a whip” child.  Whatever she puts her mind to doing, she’ll do it and do it well.  The key is whether or not she wants to!  Her interests spans from stuffed animals to stickers to fused beads to erasers to clay to drawing anime to YouTube videos to…(I can’t keep up because they change or get added on every 1-2 years!).  She’s also my animal lover, talented and sociable to boot!  She’s a born leader, with a group of girlfriends almost everywhere she goes.  She’s keep me up late many nights with her endless questions.  Esther helps me relate to parents with the challenges of raising a gifted child.

I would not be involved in children’s ministry if it weren’t for my kids.  I am shaped uniquely by each of my children.  They make me appreciate the differences and individuality of the people I directly minister to now.    I would be such a narrow-minded woman if I didn’t become a mother.  In this day and age when children are seen more as liabilities than assets, I am grateful for my children and the different worlds they have introduced me to.  I have become a richer Christian because of them!