My Greatest Treasures

I have a chair in my son's room.  It is a rocker I purchased from my sister shortly before my youngest son was born.  I wanted to have a comfortable place to feed, rock and otherwise love my new, precious baby. 

I sat in that chair tonight, admiring my now one-year-old son peacefully sleeping in his crib.  I couldn't help but think back on where we've been in the last year.  One year ago, my wonderful mother-in-law was at our home, graciously giving a week of her time to help us as we tried to juggle three children and my husband's schedule as he finished up his last weeks of school in preparation for graduation.  She made meals, shuttled my oldest to preschool and back, provided conversation and otherwise made our life more comfortable during this time.  My husband graduated just a week later when our baby was just 19 days old. 

As I gazed on my little bug tonight, I was filled with so many emotions of joy over the changes and blessings of the last year.  A year ago, I could never have imagined where life would take us.  There were times I wished the heavens would part just a little so I could see the Lord's plan for our life.  Instead, I was required to trust in His plan and allow it to unfold.  For anyone who knows me, patience is not easy for me.  And now, as I face new challenges and unknowns, I once again wish for all the answers now, but again, I must wait on the Lord's timing. 

The thought occurred to me that just as the Lord teaches us these lessons on patience, we will in turn need to teach our children.  Teach them that all the answers don't always come NOW, and that they aren't always the answers we want.  Teach them that the Lord's way is a better way, even if we can't see it at the time.  And of course, teaching these truths to our children will solidify them in our own mind.