Don't give up!

There are days that being  a mom feels like the most exhausting, frustrating, perplexing, and seemingly thankless job. Then there are days like yesterday. Days when all my work seems to be paying off a little and I am overjoyed, completely fulfilled and incredibly thankful for this very important job I have of nurturing, training, discipling 5 precious little souls. Actually, yesterday felt a little like both.
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> Yesterday:
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> Zeke's (my youngest son) love tank was full and pouring out to his oldest brother, Jake, because something has happened in Jake where he has recently been making visible  and consistent choices of choosing love over hate, generousity over greed, and selflessness over selfishness.  In the Link household, with 3 boys, 11,9 and 7 yrs, there is much bickering. There are many things in parenting that are wearisome to the soul, but nothing quite like bickering. I don't know what it is in the sibling relationships that causes them to LOVE to pick on each other, but I HATE it. So almost every day, all day I am seeking to teach them God's words about love, building each other up, dying to oneself and applying negative consequences when they choose to go their own way and not Gods'. It seems that after 11 years of HARD WORK and many prayers  something is taking root in my son's soul and he is CHOOSING to love his brothers. I cannot describe the joy in my soul
> when  I have witnessed this week ,Jake taking Zeke out for ice cream and paying with his own money, Jake helping his brother on the computer,  Jake offering to buy Zeke a drink  when he was complaining of being "sooooo thirsty", Jake dying to himself and verbalizing, "Zeke can go first."
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> My second son, Max, and I began our day with a wonderful conversation about "sowing and reaping." Max is noticing how kind Zeke is now being to Jake.I took Max out to a rock in my garden and had him read the words on this rock, "Love is found where it is shown." We talked about how loving Jake has recently been to Zeke and how that is filling up Zeke's soul causing him in turn to be kind and loving back to Jake. Jake is simply reaping what he has sown. I highly encouraged (for the millionth time) Max to sow seeds of love into Zeke's soul as well and watch and see what happens.  Late in the afternoon sometime yesterday, Zeke came running into the house yelling, "Mom, mom.......Max is being kind to me.'
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> I think I spanked (very controlled, 1 or 2 swats on her bum with much talking about "does mommy spank you because I love you or hate you?") my 3 year old daughter 4 times yesterday. Anyone who denies the truth of Scripture, "Surely I was sinful at birth," has possibly never raised a child. All day long, we dealt with issues of lying and stealing, being destructive and selfish. My precious little girl probably sat in the "check your heart" chair for a total of an hour yesterday. I was in awe as this kind of disciplining (for the 4th time) was still going on up until dinner time. After dinner, however, while we walked around Meijers I observed a change in her. She told me with much joy how she saw a piece of candy on the floor and chose not to pick it up and eat it. She climbed up into my arms sharing with me how she looked a man in the eyes and thanked him when he complimented her beautiful little ballerina outfit. When I called her name to come she
> responded immediately with a cheerful, "yes mom."
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> Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Parenting is truly exhausting and yet when I see changes, when I have spent hour after hour, day after day, week after week, year after year, of seeking to pour God's words into my children and discipline them when they disobey, and I see glimpses of change, it is all worth it! I agree with the Scripture that says, "I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in the truth."
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> May I encourage us all (myself included) to keep up the hard work you are doing, whatever it is. God's word says in Galatians 6 :9
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> " Let us not become tired of doing good. At the right time we will gather a crop IF WE DON'T GIVE UP. So when we can do good to everyone, let us do it."
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> "All hard work leads to profit." Proverb
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> Being  a mom, being there for your children to teach them God's words, encouraging them when you see them make wise choices and disciplining them with much love when they don't, praying for them, not giving up when you feel like a failure as a mom and like nothing you're doing is making any difference, pouring as much goodness and truth into their souls as you possibly can IS ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN LIFE. Hang in there my friends.  Don't give up! Don't quit. Today is a new day full of possiblities. Perhaps this will be the day you will witness the word of God taking root. Perhaps this will be the day you will be rewarded for all your hard work, whatever it is. Just don't give up! He sees you and all your labor. Blessings from Bombadil.Kristy

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