...a heritage, reward, and blessing

I am reading an amazing book right now-- Feminine Appeal by: Carolyn Mahaney. I've been blessed each day this week to read the thoughts and advice from this Godly lady. Thank you to my sweet friend Miranda for giving me this book! The book is about the seven virtues of a Godly wife and mother. I am being encouraged and convicted daily by what I am reading. My "homework" (there are great study questions in the back of the book) for this week is to write down ways that my child is a heritage, reward, and blessing to me.

A reward is "something given or received in recompense for worthy behavior". I feel so unworthy to be a mother to Sawyer and to our new little one on the way. I have no "worthy behavior" that should win me such a prize like motherhood, but I am reminded that my salvation is exactly the same! I am saved by grace through faith and I sure don't have any "worthy behavior" to gain myself salvation. Not that children come anywhere close to salvation but they are a blessing and a great thing to thank and praise God for. Carolyn Mahaney is reminding me to view motherhood as a joy and not just a duty, as a delight and not a burden.

Sawyer is a heritage, reward, and blessing to me...
every time he sings a song
every time he smiles
every time he gives me a hug
when I see him run fast to the playground full of excitement
when he tells me his Bible verses he is learning
when I try to read him a book but he says "I read it"
when he wants to "help" sweep the floor

And when frustrating times come, like when he won't go to sleep at night or when he refuses to eat his vegetables, I MUST remember that he is a heritage, reward, and blessing from the Lord!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!" Psalm 127:3-5