How Much I'm Loved

I'm having a lovely Valentine's Day! My wonderful children gave me chocolate (which I probably didn't need but will enjoy alot!) and a beautiful card! The card is a real keeper, not just because the verse on it is so precious, but because Zach announced that he actually READ the verse and specifically picked it out for me. (We women know that it's not often that men take the time to read greeting cards and try to pick out a special one, so that's high praise, believe me...LOL!) Here's the verse that made me boo-hoo a flood of "happy tears"...

"Children Do Not Realize"

Until we're grown
We never know or full realize
How sweet and kind our Mother is--
How gentle and how wise...

We simply take for granted,
From day to passing day,
Each sacrifice she makes for us
In her own loving way.

But then we grow and finally learn,
The way that children do,
How much her love has really meant--
How thoughtful she's been, too.

And so this comes with all the Thanks
That you deserve and more.
For there's not a dearer mother
Than the one this greeting's for!

This is the sort of moment that every mom dreams of...that point at which our children begin to see us as more than just someone who was put on earth to tuck them in at night. When they are little and don't seem to appreciate much that we do for them, a part of us always longs for the day when they'll finally be able to look back and understand how tenderly we cared for them and that making cupcakes at the last second for a class party or sticking our hands into cold paper mache was always a labor of love. We pray for that instant when it dawns on our children that we worked awful darn hard to make life good for them...because we adored them and would have given them the moon if we could have figured out how to reel it in!

Just that simple card and hearing my boys say, "Love you, Mom," is dearer to me than all the awards and rewards I could have ever achieved in any other endeavor in my life. Everything I ever did for them, every sleepless night, every nickle spent, every frustration, every loss, everything and anything I ever had to give up for them, was ALL worth it, just to hear them tell me that it mattered and that they KNOW they are loved!

In that same way, though, I remember that I, too, am someone's Child. Yes, I am my earthly parents' daughter and I hope I told them enough how much I appreciated them before they left me...but I am ALSO the child of the most adoring and giving Father of all. No worldly parent, no matter how hard they tried, could ever match the depth of the love He has for me. King of Kings, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of everything, He could have easily just dropped me in on this planet and left me to fend for myself...but instead, His Word tells me that I am His most precious invention and He delights Himself in my existence. Everything I see around me was put here for my enjoyment. He tends me closer than a shepherd watches his flock and has known me, intimately, from long before I was even conceived. He can even count the hairs on my head!

When I was in danger of being lost to Him, He completely gave Himself to bear the weight of my foolishness, lest we ever be seperated for eternity. He loves me so much, He chose to die to keep me close.

How often do I, like my own children, take that depth of love for granted and just expect more and more, without stopping to say, "I realize how much You mean to me!" I run and bury my face in His arms when troubles come, looking for that comfort that only a Parent can give...but when things are good and I think I'm standing strong on my own, do I take a minute to look behind me and see His hands, holding me up, carrying me over the rough spots?

Today, on this day when we celebrate how much we love--and how much we are loved by others--I want to stop and be the kind of Child my own boys have been to me today!

Happy Valentine's Day, Dear Lord!! I Love you, Father!