After having lazed about for 2 days, I believe I am on the mend. My head is less stuffy and I can sleep without coughing. It was a gorgeous day yesterday but I decided not to risk being attacked by the cedar and stayed inside. I mainly dozed, read and watched movies. What I really wanted to do was to sew my quilt squares but my eyes couldn't handle the brightness coming through the window. I have so many quilts I want to make this year and I feel like I am losing ground everyday I do not sew at least one row of squares. With Devon coming Thursday, my time after work and on the weekend, will be spent with him (no complaints here). Just praying God renews my energy so I can enjoy playing with him.
My fellow blogger, CW, wrote a great post Sunday: http://humbleauthorbsp.blogspot.com/2012/01/sunday-message.html. It reminded me of how I pray for Devon and his heart. Devon is being raised in a home with an unstable mother. I pray a hedge of protection around him, both spiritually and physically. I also pray for his innocence in a world that forces children to grow up way toooo fast.
When Devon was an infant, I started singing to quiet him. For those who know my singing, he did quiet down just to hush me up :) Anyway, I personalized Jesus loves to me to Jesus loves Roo. Even today, at the ripe age of almost 2 1/2, when he is fussy, I can start singing that song and it calms him down. My neighbor, who is like another great grandma to Roo, gave him a cassette of children singing Bible songs. At night, Roo can be all fussy about going to bed but as soon as Jesus Loves Me comes on, he quiets down. Last time, he started to sing with the song. One day, I know I will understand what he is singing.
While I try not to feel quilt over my past, I do have a regret or two. One of them is that I wished I had been a Christian when I was a foster parent. I was married at the time and we both knew what it was to grow up in homes without love. When we chose the age of children we wanted, we asked for teenage boys, the most unwanted of all foster children. Later, when we worked at a children's home, we had both teenage girls and boys. While I gave the kids love and guidance, what I did not give them was Jesus. When I became a Christian, I started praying for them just like I did my own son. Today, I know that 3 of my former boys at the children's home have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
Waylon, my only child, is 33 and continues to reject Christ. He was a teenager when I came to Jesus. I know I did not pray for him as a child and I am not sure there was anyone praying for him. As a Christian, I am extremely grateful for those who pray for him.
If you read this CW, I encourage you to continue to pray for the hearts of those kids. Very early in my Christian walk, someone told me I should pray for someone as if I am the only person praying for them. She is right. You really do not know if there is anyone else praying for a person.
Thank you Lord for children.
Doing it when they're right in front of your face is easy. Remembering them 3, four days down the road is difficult. I'm keeping Roo in my prayers, too. He has that BIG ADVANTAGE I talked about- your prayers.
ReplyDeleteAnother lady I follow brought up the fact that in the Great Commision, the words of Jesus are "Teach them to obey all I have commanded you". A step beyond just prayer or just Sunday school- and the part that the ACLU et al protest the most. I hope you have the opportunity to teach as well as he grows older. If you affected your fosters that much, I'm sure you will be good at that.
Oh, and thanks for the "blog-pimping' as we call it. One of the reasaons I sought blogs like yours out is so we can "sharpen each other".