What role do children play in our lives?

Yesterday my daughter Christy called me at work and told me that I probably wouldn't get off work in time to hear her sing at church. She had ask the song director to let her sing close to the end because she wanted to give me more time to get there. The singing started at 6:00 and I had to work until 6:30. Usually that means I will have to stay until 7:00 at least, to clean up my department. She said that she would understand if I couldn't make it. I cleaned and cleaned between customers and after we closed my boss told us all that we could go ahead and leave because the store looked good. I was so glad! It was 6:30 and the church was about 10 minutes away. We made it there and we had only missed 3 people sing. Christy hadn't sang yet. I could tell by the look on her face that she was happy to see us.

Her first song was "Ten Thousand Angels". I have it playing now. That is such a beautiful song to me. She sang it so pretty.

The next song was called "Mighty To Save". I have it on my playlist right after "Ten Thousand Angels". I had only heard this song a couple of times on Christian radio and it is a beautiful song. As Christy was singing it, she looked out into the pews and saw so many of her family members there and she broke down crying. I could tell that she was trying to hold it all in but I know Christy, once she gets started...there is no holding back. There was not a dry eye in the church after that. The preacher's wife got up and started singing with her and Christy kept singing even though she was still crying. The whole church starting singing as well. You could feel God's presence in that room! When I got up this morning and looked for my devotional book, I couldn't find it. I then remembered that I had left it at my desk at work. I had picked up another book on my night stand that I haven't even had a chance to read yet called...Ah, Woman! It says on the front cover...A study of personal accountability for the Christ-motivated woman. I had picked it up one time at one of my favorite thrift stores. Anyway, I decided to just open up the book and whatever page I came to that is what I was going to read for my devotion. The first sentence that I read was..."What role do children play in our lives?" How appropriate was that? I believe with all of my heart that God picked that page for me to read! One part of the passage said that it is easy to hold and cuddle our children when they are little and sit on our laps. But what about when they grow up? Even married children still need love and encouragement from their parents. This love is not connected to any deeds that our children might perform. This love is like the love that we have from God, a graceful love, given to a child simply because it is our child, not good or bad, just our child. This love lets your child know that you'll be there, loving him or her, no matter what. This love is free.

I myself am emotional today as I'm writting this post. I am so glad that I was able to get to the church on time to be there and hear her sing her heart out. God has been really showing me things the last couple of weeks that I am so thankful for. I know a lot of this may not be coming across clearly to you, not about God but about my life. He keeps showing me things, that I have been needing to see! God is good! He loves us all...