Having Children

I want to have a big family. 
I myself was from a large family.  Not as large as some, but with 4 sisters and 1 brother, people always found our numbers to be quite alarming at times.  But it was fun.  No, we weren't always happy with each other and we didn't always like "sharing".  But I truly believe it taught me to not be so selfish.  Things were never about just me.  And I had to share everything.  I didn't have my own room until highschool, once my 2 older sisters were married and moved out.  And we always stayed connected.  Family dinners, family trips, family devotions.  It's amazing what a big family life can do for you.  We never had to be alone in times of sadness.  When my sister was in the hospital with a rare sickness I don't know how we could have done it without the help of every member in my immediate family.  Yes, we had close relatives who helped us out a lot as well, but they couldn't always be there, and it was a stressful time for all of us.  But we pulled through together and remembering back I can't imagine what it would have been like if my parents had not had 6 kids.    Now starting my own family I see the value in having a big family as well.  And recently my sister has been telling me how having children really keeps a person more grounded.  And it keeps us from spending money and time on "our wants".  Because we can no longer care just for ourselves, but instead for our children and our family.  And we must give up all superficial acts.  There is no room for this when raising children, especially in a Christian home.   There are definitely sacrifices to be made when you commit to having and raising children.  And I am more than willing to do this, no matter how hard it gets and how discouraged I may feel at times, this is something I Know is important.

A verse that I just read today really spoke to me.

Psalm 127:3-5
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Children are blessings from above.
They give us stress, fear, love and joy.  And the Love and Joy really do outweigh the Stress and Fear. 

And the following I read on "Raising Arrows" blog today... I must share it with you. 

It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late,

To eat the bread of sorrows;

For so He gives His beloved sleep.

~Psalm 127:2

I’ve never been a good sleeper.  Perhaps I don’t require as much shut eye as others or perhaps my mind is so keyed up it is hard to shut it down, or maybe it is simply a matter of one too many cups of coffee at night.  Whatever the reason, I tend to

sit up late.

And then there are those resolutions to do better.  And doing better in my world means I will

rise up early.

But an equation that looks like this:

sit up late + rise up early

always =

One Sleepy Mommy

So many, many things to be done.  So many, many thoughts to be thunk.  So many, many hours of being the ever-vigilant mommy, the one who does it all by staying up late and rising up early and

eating the bread of

snappiness

irritibility

grouchiness

sorrow.

Again, UNLESS the LORD is building this house, all my many hours of labor are

in vain.

All my sleepless nights and sleepy days are

in vain.

God never intended that I sleepwalk through my life.  He never asked me for overtime.  He gave me 24 hours, and in those 24 hours, He gives me

rest.

I am His beloved.
You are His beloved.
We must stop cramming our lives so full we can no longer see that in His divine providence and mercy, he has given us time enough to

labor

and time enough to

rest.