Proverbs 17:6

"Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." Proverbs 17:6

I have been looking at this verse and I see two different thoughts here. First, that grandchildren are a crown. I am not yet a grandma, but I can tell by watching grandparents interact with their grandchildren that this is most certainly true. Nothing lights up a room faster than a young one playing with their grandparent. Not only is it a crown for the grandparent, but the joy from the situation brings a smile to everyone who sees them.

As for me, I have said numerous times that my hope is to never have an "empty nest." My heart longs to be surrounded by the joy and blessing of children for the rest of my days (my own children, children of friends and neighbors, grandchildren, all children that God puts in my path). My husband and I truly believe that children are a blessing and we have lived our lives accordingly. It breaks my heart when I hear others talking about not wanting children. I hear things like, "I just don't have time for kids" or "I'm not changing diapers in my 40's, I deserve this time for myself." My first reaction is to think, "well at least they know their limitations." But, then my heartbreaks, because they are not allowing the full promises God has for them to be fulfilled. Somewhere along the way our society lost sight of the fact that children are a blessing from our Heavenly Father.

The second thought is that parents are the pride of their children. Wow, that one seems a bit more challenging to me. My children are to be proud of me. This makes me wonder "how," how am I to conduct myself that would make my children proud of me? What does it mean for my children to be proud of me? Should this be a goal, or just a wonderful bi-product of living a life for the Kingdom?

I am not sure I know the answers to those questions, but here are some thoughts on how I think I   might live in a way that my children might be proud of me.
-love and honor their father
-don't lie to them or others for that matter
-respect their feelings and opinions, gently showing them if there needs to be correction
-putting my relationship with Christ first
-remember that life is short and meant to be filled with joy and laughter
-not posting things on social media that would truly embarrass them
-living how I would expect them to live

This is quite a list and far too hard without the help of the Holy Spirit working in my life. I am not sure how I am doing on this list, or if I shouldn't add a few more suggestions. However this is something that I am conscious of now and something I can be working on in the years to come. Right now, I will just be content to spend time with my children and their friends as we live life together....praying that one day by God's mercy they will be proud of me as their mother.