Divine Appointments

It's so fitting that this picture is blurry because that's usually how it goes. We are always on the move with our busy little boy. Always chasing, always playing, always laughing, always hiding, always climbing... you name it. But this is quite fitting for what I want to share...so here goes.

In moms and tots last week we talked about making the most of our time with our children. Every day is a gift. Every conversation is a treasure. What are you doing with your time? How are you intentionally investing in them? Are you listening to them when they speak? Do you shush them away so that you can accomplish your daily tasks? We have been given a huge privilege and responsibility as moms to pour into our children... make the most of every moment!

If you're a mom, then you know that your day is constantly filled with interruptions from your little one. If Noah is not in my arms, then I can rest assure he will be right at my legs reaching up for me saying momma at least 10 times until he gets my attention. But that's just it... I want him to have my attention. My full attention. I want to look him in the eyes... get on his level. I want him to always know that he is far more important than my "to-do" list... today and every day. He won't always be there tugging at my leg; so I cherish these moments. 

This past week at moms and tots, our leader said that "sometimes those interruptions from our children are divine appointments by God". This quote has lingered with me all week. A great example would be Tuesday morning. My routine since moving to Caronport has been to get up at 6:00am to read and spend time with God before anyone else is up in my house. This has been time that I truly treasure. You can hear a pen drop in my house. If you have a toddler, then you know how rare that is. I love the quiet... and I truly cherish this time with the Lord studying and hearing from Him. Tuesday morning, however, my little Noah decided to wake up at 6:15am. My first instinct was... "Ah, no! This defeats my whole point of getting up. I just want to be alone.... in the quiet. Remember?" However, the Lord brought that quote back to my mind. "Sometimes our daily interruptions are divine appointments from God". So... I put my best foot forward and scooped up my little boy. I brought him upstairs and decided to read my Bible to him. Not a children's Bible. My normal Bible and devotionals. To my surprise, he cuddled up and listened to every. word. (even smiling up occasionally with his cheeky grin).

How precious this time was with him... and to think that I was so disappointed when he woke up that I almost asked Dalton to go get him. I really would have missed out on precious time teaching my son from the Word of God. The next day I read to him while he was in the bath tub from his children's Bible. The story for the day was on Abraham and how God called Abraham to leave his family and everything he had and go to a new land that he didn't know. How timely! The words seemed to just flow off my tongue, "See Noah... just like Abraham, God called us to leave our family and everything we knew and move here. You remember how hard it was to leave Gdaddy and Gigi? But sometimes you have to do things that are hard in order to be obedient to God." Noah looked up at me with his big brown eyes. He paused for a while and said, "Yeah". 

I almost burst into tears. What a precious moment with him and yet such a great challenge to me as well. God knew just what I needed to hear.

I challenge you moms out there to make a special effort this week to put things aside for your children. You won't regret it!

I also want to leave you with a few prayers for your children.... something we also did last week in moms and tots. Personalize these verses for your own children... this is something I'm trying to do more often. One of the greatest things we can do as a wife & mother is to be prayer warriors for our families.

1 Cor. 2:9- "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for Noah."

Jer. 29:11- "For I know the thoughts that I think towards Noah, declares the Lord. Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give him a future and a hope."

Phil. 1:6- "Be confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in Noah will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Psalm 138:8- "The Lord will perfect that which concerns Noah; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of Your hands."

Romans 12:12- "May Noah rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and continue steadfastly in prayer."

Proverbs 19:21- "There are many plans in Noah's heart, nevertheless the Lord's counsel will stand."