Children Are Worthy Work
Our children watch us as they are becoming….
A favorite story in Made 4 Praise Children’s Choir is about hymn composer Charles Wesley’s mother, Susannah. Charles was the 18th of 19 children. He and his siblings knew to be quiet, and not interrupt their mother’s prayer and Bible study time when they saw her in the kitchen with her apron over her head! Imagine trying to find quiet time with the Lord with a throng of 19 children 24/7! Candice Watters (guest speaker at our March Women’s Conference) emphasized: “Mom, you are the missionary in your child’s life.” The spiritual fruit we bear in our own lives spills over into our children’s lives.
“The Cat’s in the Cradle” (1974, Harry Chapin)
And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin home, Dad, I dont know when,
But we’ll get together then, Son
We’re gonna have a good time then.
This folk rock song is such a poignant reminder of the short but vitally precious time we have with our children. Young moms often hear older moms say “I promise you, the days seem never-ending now, but 20 years from now, you will say ‘Where did the time go?’” The song continues
He said, “I’m gonna be like you, Dad,
You know I’m gonna be like you”
and ends with the dad calling his son years later,
I said “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind”
He said “I’d love to Dad, if I could find the time.
You see my new jobs a hassle, and the kids have the flu.
But It’s sure nice talking to you, Dad,
It’s been sure nice talking to you……..”
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me,
My boy was just like me…………..
Candice said “Children are worthy work.”
Psalm 127:3 “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” (NIV)
“He Leadeth Me”
The ladies that led our music worship sang this wonderful old hymn, (written by Joseph Gilmore in 1862.) Can it be our testimony as we parent the children God put into our care? Are we investing things of eternal value in their lives?
He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Chorus:
He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.
-Karen Sizemore
This is the fourth in a series of five blog posts that will recap the 2014 Women’s Conference: Fruitfulness: A Life Connected to the Vine. If you’d like to listen to the audio recordings of all the Conference sessions, you can access them here.
Karen Oldham Sizemore was a PK for 21 years, was born again as a teen, was a multi-move military wife for 24 years, has lived the civilian life since 1994, and is now a senior citizen. (You can do the math.) She is the mother of 2 grown sons, has been a member of NAOBC for 12 years, and has loved directing children’s choirs for 40+ years.
