A Mother's Joy

Please allow me to be a mom for a moment and share some special things that are going on in the lives of our children.

First, Matt, our oldest is doing very well in college. He's attending the University of Mobile on scholarship and living it up in a new dorm room with full amenities! He did extremely well his first semester, despite having English and Speech at the same time (yuck...I'm sorry, they are not math!) He's dove right in to college life, made new friends, and then grew up on us just in a matter of weeks. His favorite part of college life? The food of course! He LOVES the delictable treats of the campus cafeteria! The boy can't help but to take after his dad in that respect. The child needs brain fuel with the high powered course load he has! He's already taking many of the courses required for his major, Computer Information Science. Classes like Network Distribution Systems, Accounting, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, ...YUCK again! God certainly blessed Mathew in the IQ department! He's also a hard worker and never complains about anything. He's steadfast and does what needs to be done. He's loving college life. And what's more, he's matured so much. I knew my little boy had grown up when he asked for dress clothes for Christmas instead of video games. Yes, he did! He wanted church clothes to wear over there in Mobile. AMEN!!! He truly has a heart for Christ though he's not very vocal about it. I've caught him daily reading his Bible. When God strikes him with something he gets a glint in his eye when he shares it with me. That's so neat to see. Yes, he's a quiet guy, but a deep thinker. And when Mathew talks, people listen...it might be the only time they her him speak:-)

Then there is Miss Brittany, the social, athletic, studious butterfly. She started high school this year with gusto. She ran cross country, made the JV Girls basketball team, and plans to run track. God blessed her with amazing athletic abilities! Come watch her play and see what she does when she scores. You'll see her do a quick little gesture pointing up after she makes a basket. Why? That's her signal giving God the credit and the glory for each basket she makes. She knows it was He who gave her athletic gifts and in return she uses it to point others to Christ. She made the decision to do that. She's a member of First Priority and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She's also an honors student - ranked #13 in her class out of 566! Now, she's a freshman so that is still subject to change, but still this is a tremendous feat! Her motto in 5th grade was "Beauty and Brains." LOL!!! She's smart and hard working. Very responsible. She also loves children and teaches the PK class in church. She loves her friends. She has a wonderful Christian boyfriend. She's a blessing to everyone who knows her. And most of all, she loves the Lord and it shows.

Last but not least is Michael, a.k.a. the Soccer King, a.k.a. Little Man, a.k.a. Mr. Drama King. What a little mess! And I mean that in a good way. This child is FUUUNNNYYY!!! Oh, and Mr. Social Agenda. He loves his friends and is on SGA for his 4th grade class. He's a hard little worker in school and makes good grades. He's very smart and a history buff like his dad. He also loves playing soccer and basketball. He loves hanging out with his friends. He is an avid gamer...he LOVES board games and has quite a collection! He's decided to be an aerospace engineer when he grows up. He has an aerospace engineer poster on his wall to remind him of his future goal. Now that most likely will change, but at least he has a plan:-) He, like his older siblings, is so sweet natured. And you know what else? He also loves the Lord. The first thing he does in the mornings is read his Bible and pray. The last thing he does at night before he goes to bed is read his Bible and pray. You see, I get up early and have quiet times. I get on my knees and pray and then I read my Bible. Michael saw me doing that last year. He interrupted me a couple of times and I told him to wait until I had finished my quiet times. Then one day, I went into his room to set out his clothes for the day. When I walked in, I found him on his knees, praying, with his Bible open in front of him. My throat tightened and my eyes immediately began to water. The he told me, "Mommy, don't bother me. I'm praying and having my quiet time." Oh my heart be still!

Yes, as a mom, I am very proud of my children, but not in a vain, bragging kind of way. I'm proud of who they have become in Christ. The pride I have is not a selfish pride for personal gain, but a thankful heart of what God is doing in and through them. I'm so thankful that, so far, they have made godly choices in their lives. I'm thankful that at this point, they love the Lord and choose to follow Him. I pray that they will continue to do so.

Being a parent isn't always easy. Raising up our children in the Lord isn't always easy, either. We are not a perfect family and my children are not little angels. We, like all families, have our moments. We've had our struggles and our share of troubles in raising our children. As a family, we have struggled through ADHD, cancer, severe asthma, hearing/speech impairments, and other issues. So please don't think we are the perfect family with the perfect kids. We are far from it! We are just thankful for our children and the wonderful days we have with them. Enjoy your children. Love on them. Take time with them. Be a model for them in the Christian walk.

Thank you for allowing me to share my children with you. My desire is that they are a blessing to you and others.

In His Love, Cathy