Have I Been Enough?

Inspirational Thought of the Day:

The legacy we leave behind by “being” matters just as much as what we are “doing” in our daily lives.

Scripture of the Day:

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

“These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up.”

Proverbs 22:6

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

If you read yesterday’s post about my “personal best” running in a 10k (not), then maybe today’s post will encourage you that it is not just about what we do, but who we are, consistently, that matters.

While I am fairly accident prone and full of extreme and embarrassing stories, today I am reflecting on the grace of God in the midst of such times. I mentioned yesterday that one of my sons is going away to college in a couple of days.

He has been away from home for other trips, but this time the gravity of his childhood ending is hitting me as he goes on to the next chapter of his life.

I have wondered if I disciplined and discipled him well enough, if I was intentional enough with imparting the message of the Gospel that burns in my heart. Then it hit me. My precious son has watched me through the most painful, horrific, stretching moments of my life – and he has watched me cling to God harder with each passing trial.

He watched me fight for my children when we were taken to court time and again. He wept with me when I was too sick to move from a hospital bed, but made myself get up to write a Scripture on the board to witness to the nurses around me. He held my hand when I could not afford medication for asthma due to job loss and comforted me when my heart was broken.

Yes, my son “caught” my faith by how I tenaciously lived it out in dire times solely by the grace of God, but I also learned from him while he was learning from me.

The legacy we leave behind by “being” matters just as much as what we are “doing” in our daily lives. I did a lot with my children. I chose to home educate because God placed it on my heart and I was jealous for time with them and to be the biggest influence for the LORD in their lives.

I am grateful beyond words that I made that choice to stay home with each of my precious children. From baseball games to skiing, dancing, a home educational co-op I started and directed, speech competitions, orchestra, choir, band, worship team, TeenPact, CYT, the list goes on – all those times are cherished, but it was being with them that I will treasure the most.

Where we have shortcomings, God makes up the difference – and all along the way our children see us looking to our Father, too.

Lord, thank You for the privilege of raising sons and daughters for Your glory. May they walk in the Spirit and not aft the flesh and may every seed of faith planted blossom into beautiful lasting fruit in their lives.