"These, Thy Children"

I have to actually type this post in blue - as it is my favorite color! People who really know me also know that it is my favorite color. My husband refuses to agree and is adamant that black is my favorite color. As he states, "that's all you wear". I guess that there is an eternal optimist in me that realizes that black is slimming - but someday - I will be able to wear blue again and not feel like a whale!

On to the subject matter at hand - I have been wanting to do a blog post on this title "These, Thy Children". "What is this phrase?", you ask. Well, it is somewhat of a confession for me to admit this - but it has come to be a stand-by prayer for me.

I know - we don't believe in "vain repetitions" - however longingly I may want to repeat the "Hail Mary" chants in Portuguese to reminisce my days in Brazil. I think that there is just a little bit of a left-over infection within me from my days in South America. There is something I enjoy about people's prayers - and I often times will find myself saying "Amen", "Amen, brother" or "Hallelujah" while others are praying or even talking in church. Of course I keep these comments in my head - but they are there uttered nonetheless.

I feel like I am really truly blessed in many ways - but one of the great things about my life - is that I have always known what I wanted to be. I have always wanted to be a nurse. Yup, since I can recall having any memories of "When I grow up" conversations with people - my reply was always the same, "...I'm gonna be a nurse". There is so much fulfilment for me in my job. I love taking care of people and figuring out the amazing things that the human body does and that the human mind can comprehend and cope with.

Every single shift when I am going into the hospital - I park my car and I say a little prayer to my Heavenly Father. Invariably I petition God to help me to care for "These, Thy children" as he would. After endless times of doing this - I started to wonder if it was indeed a "vain repetition" and I tried to change my verbage in conversing with God. However, I just couldn't do it - I reverted to the same phrase, "These, Thy children..."

I do feel like I am entrusted to care for His children for a period of time, and I want His blessings to be with me - to have a sharp mind, to have a gentle and a patient heart. Most of the time I feel I succeed and am able to bless His children.

This phrase carries over into my personal life as I ponder my role here. I am reminded of my own children - the ones that He entrusted to my care for the duration of their mortal lives (not just a shift or two). I am humbled to think of the many times when I am less than understanding or patient with them. I am humbled when I feel of the love and the forgiveness that my children freely hand out with no pride attached. I realize that maybe they are here for me more so than I am for them! So - I abase myself somewhat and try to be on their level of genuine goodness as much as I can.

Extending my prayer to another realm and confronting the fact that my dear sweet husband is also one of "These, Thy children" - I am again reminded that I have got a lot of learning left to do. I am so quick to judge, so quick to find fault, and very slow to humble myself and admit I am wrong. I have a stubborn streak in me (nice way of explaining my unholy pride) and I feel for the man who has to live with me and love me.

So - in a quick summation - I have this ongoing prayer in my head - and I feel like the Lord has blessed me with the ability to see others in a light as something more than mortals tend to view each other in. I only pray that I will remember these feelings when I am running around busy and my kids are yelling and fighting and I have 4 loads of laundry piled up on the couch and my husband is wondering what's for dinner!

Oh, I just peeked in at the couch and I am foreseeing that time to be arriving in a few short hours! Here's to another day in my life with many of God's precious children!