Happy Birthday, Emily💗
Twenty-nine years ago you made your dad and I parents!
Thank-you for its journey of joy,
however unconventional joy's footpaths may be!😉😊
Last week as I chatted with a young mom she asked how it was
to have our second daughter home for a while
(she moved back to the city a week ago)
'It's so great' I replied.
'While they grow up the focus is on parenting, training, etc.
With adult children it's friendship/relationship.
They know what we believe and support and what we don't.
(of course, it will always be friendship
under a mother's watchful eye and words of caution etc.
and a ton of prayers; those seem to increase, not decrease with the years)
but what a precious privilege to relate to our children,
adult to adult and stand with them
through life's highs and lows
by the grace of God.
Dear Emily,
God bless you on your special day
even though your son wailed and wailed last night,
begging you to skip your birthday because he doesn't want you to change😂
Unfortunately he is wishing for the impossible!
I pray for you, God's guidance through
all the challenges and changes life is bound to bring!
Life leads us by the hand sometimes
In flowered nooks it bids us sit
A gladsome thing that makes us sing
And dance for the sheer joy of it
Life grabs us by the scruff sometimes
And sets us firmly in God’s grace
A heavy hand of reprimand
To remind us of our place
Life takes us in its arms sometimes
In kind, parental sympathy
To dry our tears and calm our fears
As we rest in God's sovereignty
Life is a teacher all the time
We never grow too old to learn
As highs and lows and joys and woes
Fill Bygone’s sheaf of no return
Life makes us older day by day
Pray that it makes us kinder too
As we embrace the Hand of grace
That every moment-gem runs through
…to forge the weight of wisdom’s crown
Then pray as yester-years increase
Beauty unveils what never fails
Love’s holy, humble Masterpiece
Life takes us by surprise sometimes
In spite of its muddle and mess
It fills the heart with life’s best part
Wild, unorthodox *thankfulness
© Janet Martin
* I first used the word 'happiness' instead of thankfulness
but changed it because without genuine thankfulness
genuine happiness is impossible!
“this is my prayer:
that your love may abound more and more
in knowledge and depth of insight,
so that you may be able to discern what is best
and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
—to the glory and praise of God.”
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I hope you enjoyed your pause on this porch and thank-you for your visit!