(You don't have to tell me twice...I know I have a great husband! And on this Valentine's Day this is probably the greatest gift from him I could have asked for).
But as I sit here, I am listening to the sounds of my family, and the most repetitive sound I hear is my toddler's ambitious squeals and stubborn "no's".
And while my husband deals with all of this tonight, I remind myself that as we both traipse the journey of life called "parenting", that it is only for a season. And it is during this season that we must be so careful to impart wisdom, not only to our older kids, but to our little ones as well.
I am thinking of obedience, and God's calling for us to be in submission to proper authority: Himself.
How beautiful is the picture of the family whose children obey out of love, rather than fear. I have yet to see a picture perfect family....no one that I know of has perfected this craft. The generation in which we live is a difficult time in which to raise truly obedient and godly children.
But I believe, with the wisdom of God's word, the fervency to stand strong and not waiver from His truth, and lot of splashes of true parental love and commitment, we can make it happen for our kids.
And yes, even for our little ones.
So when I hear my toddler getting into some of her typical trouble around the corner, I simply think about all of the many, many times my Heavenly Father has so patiently led me by the hand back to His throne.
"No, Demetria," He would say to me. "Not right now".
Or...
"No, my Dear. This is not good for you. I have something else for you at a later time. Step away from it". And gently, yet firmly, He grabs my hand and leads me steadily away into the safety of His loving care...
And with time, guess what?
I grow up. I mature. And I begin to actually SEE the promises that He had in store for me all the time! And it is in those moments that I am ever amazed at His goodness.
That my Father could tell me "no" in order to tell me "yes" baffles me beyond belief.
The fact that my Heavenly Father loves me so much He is willing to tell me "no", despite my temporary broken heart, in order that His promises of "yes and amen" should be manifest in my life when I am ready to receive the full blessing is nothing short of...
A Valentine's gift.
I am so glad that Jesus loves and cares for us more than we can imagine.
Whether you are parenting an ambitious and stubborn toddler, attempting to love a spouse through a broken relationship, or suffering through the loss of a loved one this Valentine's Day, I want to remind you that Jesus loves you dearly.
As we obey Him and submit to His love for us, we'll find that Jesus is our Valentine, not just on February 14th, but every day of the year.
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