No matter what may have happened on any given day. The day may have been spent in utter chaos with meltdowns, messes, and this mama losing her mind. But when slumber settles my children’s bodies into that angelic state, the worries and troubles of the day fade, and I am reminded of the gift each child is.
Our children are precious gifts from our loving Heavenly Father, and cultivating heart connections with our children begins with cherishing them as the special gifts they are.
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3
Too often it is easy to fall into the habit of checking items off our to-do lists without pausing to enjoy the gifts we have been given. We can view the requests of our children as annoyances instead of opportunities. We see the messes as a burden instead of as evidence of memories made. We consider the work as drudgery instead of as the result of blessing.
And yes, we are humans. We will feel annoyed, burdened, and tired from the work of taking care of everyone else at times. But we can’t live in that mode. Instead, we must reframe our minds to view the blessings even in the challenges and in the mundane tasks.
You see, children are perceptive. Their little hearts know when we are viewing them as inconveniences, when we are annoyed, when we go through the motions of meeting their physical needs without cultivating heart connections.
Just a few weeks ago, my daughter started apologizing every time my eyes would alight on something misplaced or messed up in our home. She knew I was frustrated by the extra work their mess-making had caused. Before long anytime I sighed or grimaced, she apologized. Seeing the hurt in her eyes and knowing it was my responses made me check my own heart. What I saw in myself made me realize just how far I had strayed from viewing my children as gifts and cultivating heart connections with them. Instead, I was just trying to keep the little humans alive and survive each day. Yes, it was a tough season, but a tough season shouldn’t render me unable to cherish the gifts God has given me.
That heart-check was painful but needed. When I look at my children as gifts, I’m less likely to react in frustration and more likely to show grace and unconditional love. No, my children don’t always act like precious little gems, but they are always gifts—gifts that bless me, amuse me, stretch me and create plenty of opportunities for sanctification in my life.
When we view our children as gifts, we cultivate the ground of both our children’s hearts and our own hearts so that the seeds of connection can sprout, grow deep roots, and blossom into a beautiful relationship.
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