With all that’s going on in the world, good, bad and ugly, we must remember to count our blessings. It hurts seeing the lives of little ones cut short. We know from experience how everything can change at the blink of an eye. The past few days have caused me to reflect on the birth of each of my three children and actions taken to cover them, to protect them, and to attempt to insure their safety.
Benjamin, my first born, was an easy pregnancy. The hardest thing was dealing with the weight gain. I had no complications until time to give birth. I found myself in surgery, having an emergency C-section to literally save his life. God spared him for whatever reason, even though I knew due to careless nurses chatting upon my arrival that someone’s infant died after being born that very morning. When Benjamin was less than a year old, he was dedicated to the Lord. As parents, we chose to do this. He was too young to speak and make decisions, yet we wanted to know that he was in God’s hands until he could decide on his own whether or not he wanted to live for God. At 8 years old, he made his decision while I was deployed with the Army. He desired to receive salvation, and he did.
Bradford, also known as my baby boy brought a different experience to my life. His brother wasn’t a year old when I discovered he was on the way, and to deal with the sudden news, I chose to be a stay-at-home Mom. I was able to care for Benjamin while preparing for Bradford’s arrival. Like Benjamin, Bradford was dedicated to the Lord before his first birthday. His personal decision to follow Christ came when he was around nine years old. I clearly remember him at the altar saying, “I want to be on the Lord’s side”. It was his choice based on that which he was living and learning.
Shayla, my little lady, the youngest of the bunch also brought a new dynamic to the family situation. A lot different from her brothers, she came along like a quiet storm. Her dedication had the girly frills and lace, but the overall intent was the same, for protection over her life until she, like her brothers could decide on a life with Christ. She made her decision at 8 years old. She literally moved chairs out of her way to get to the front of the church and acknowledge her decision. She was not forced, but her heart was pricked by the word and she acted on it.
Parents have an enormous responsibility when it comes to bringing children into the world as they are blessings from God (Psalm 127:3) and training them in the way they should go (Prov 22:6). There are no guarantees when we teach them and guide them in their decision-making, but we must make every effort to insure that we give them a solid foundation to build upon. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24). I am grateful for every day that God has given me with them. I don’t know if He will call me home before them, but I know my mind has a hard time processing life without either one of those who I carried in my womb. My heart aches for every parent who has lost a child whether it was due to illness, unknown causes, or a senseless shooting like what took place in Connecticut this past Friday. However, I continue to put my trust in the Lord. I know, I know; it’s easier to say this or that when you’re not the one experiencing such pain. But we all have experienced some sort of loss and I know in my more mature years, I have cried out to God for understanding and most of all for peace.
Additionally, I thank God for placing people in my life (like my amazing husband, Lewis) who have a desire to help raise the next generation with a level of God consciousness. I’m not claiming that we have mastered life or parenting, but I do believe that so much of our problems can be fixed when we have a moral compass. I ask God to continue guiding each of us while strengthening our faith in Him.
