My Little Blessings

"And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:16

For the past couple years I have taken care of other people's children while they worked. At first I didn't want to babysit as my way to financially contribute to our family. I even tried other things to earn the necessary income. But, things just didn't seem to work out. The only thing that kept working out was me taking care of other kids. So, I decided to make it my official form of income! Jeremy & I have always agreed that me being home and raising our kids is of utmost importance, and it also provides playmates for my own children.

Well, these past few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind around here. I went from having 3 kids down to one and back up to 3 kids again. The two that finished were 10 yrs old and I only had them before and after school. The three kids I have now are part time, but because of the schedules, I am now working 7 days a week, although this weekend I get two days off! I'm so excited! So, at this point I have a 3yr old boy who I've had for over 2 years now, a 15mth old girl (just started in September) and a 7mth old boy who I just started with this week.

It's funny how quickly you forget the various stages of babyhood. Before I started with the 15mth old and the 7mth old I was concerned that I wouldn't know what to do with them. You know, like what do they play with, what do they eat...! Yet, as I took care of them, it surprised me how much I did NOT forget.

So, for now, my life is all about kids! Before I started writing this post, I looked in my Bible for a verse about children. I found the one I wrote at the beginning: Mark 10:16, "And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." It was a good reminder to me that these little children have been entrusted to me by their families and by God. And Jesus loves these little children! And when the kids are fighting over a toy or a baby is crying, remember that Jesus loves them more than I do and even more than their families do.

A friend of mine shared something with me recently. It is a remake of the "Love Chapter", 1 Corinthians 13. The following is the remade version:

What Remains:

The "love chapter" for parents

by Cindy Sigler Dagnan

If I spend my days building skyscrapers with blocks, assembling cool stuff out of LEGOs and creating relationships with other moms at Starbucks, but have not love, I am only the siren of the kids' ride-on fire truck, annoyingly stuck on hold.

If I have the gift of knowing which child attempted to flush the Hot Wheels down the toilet and which one pushed her sister, and if I have faith that somehow we'll survive life's emergencies, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I save all my box tops for school and give outgrown clothing to the local shelter, and if I surrender my body to stretch marks and under-eye circles (without the benefit of botox, tanning salons or diet bars), but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patien when someone isn't ready to use the big girl potty. It is kind when my husband has a hard day. It doesn't envy my neighbor who drives the new sport utility vehicle I can't afford.

It is not rude, snapping at my spouse or children when things don't go my way. It is not easily angered at perceived or real injustices.

It always protects the smallest, sweetest family confidences; always trusts God to provide my children's needs; always hopes in the freshness of tomorrow and the bright future of family; always perseveres amid hardship and doubt.

Where there are sleepless nights, they shall end. Where there are diapers, Little League and dioramams built from shoeboxes, they will cease. Where there is knowledge of baby-care trends, discipline strategies and boy-girl problems, it will pass away. Now these three remain: faith, lived out in my daily circumstances and instilled in my children; hope, of one day rejoicing with my family in heaven; and love, which covers over a multitude of less-than-perfect moments.

But the greatest of these is love.

It is what remains...

long after I am gone...

Cindy Sigler Dagnan lives with her family in Webb City, Missouri