Musings on family

Easter 2010

I don't know what made me think of it recently, but the past week or so I've been thinking about how my children are eternal beings, just like me.

Christian theologians generally agree that humans are three parts - spirit, soul and body. Body is the physical part, soul is the mind and emotions, and spirit is the part that was redeemed by Christ's death and will live forever - either in Heaven or hell, depending on whether they believe in Christ....

It's easy for me to get caught up in the daily stuff (the body and soul parts) when dealing with my children. They are currently, for a short time on earth, in submission to me as their mother, and it is my job to help teach them about God and model Godly behavior to them. (Whew. In some ways, what a task! In other ways, what else could I do?) But, even though they're just children now, they're still eternal beings, like me. And spiritually, they have the same ability to minister to me as I have to them. And Hannah and Audrey have both accepted Christ, and love to talk about the things of God. And when you start thinking in terms of eternity, the 25 or 30 years age difference between me and my kids seems rather insignificant. They have as much to teach me as I have to teach them.

All of this may seem kind of self-evident, but I just keep thinking about it. When I think about my kids like that, it makes it impossible to be impatient with them. It makes me discipline lovingly and gently. It just generally makes me respect and enjoy them more. I need to remember this. I have been enjoying them so much the past few days. How amazing to be part of creating an eternal being who is made to be in relationship with God? How amazing to learn to live together, and love each other? This family thing God came up with is pretty amazing.

Yesterday my youngest sister was home from college and all of my siblings were together at my parents' house for the first time in a long time. We have so much shared history together, so many inside jokes. We each have strengths and weaknesses, but my parents are having the honor of watching their children become adults. Their work is paying off. When kids are little it sometimes seems like the days never end. But at some point, they do. Rather quickly, they say.

Putting all these rather unrelated thoughts together makes me happy to be a mom, happy to be home raising my children, happy to have the experience of watching them grow, happy to HAVE them because of their value in my life and the lives of other people... Moms, what we're doing is worth it. Keep up the good work. :)