Time with Children = Time with God

I was reading a new book I got for my birthday (thanks, mom and dad!), The Valley of Vision, which is a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions. I hit this line "There is no comfort in anything apart from enjoying thee and being engaged in thy service." At first I thought, "But is that really true? What about the times I just enjoy being with Alexis and playing with her? Isn't that enjoyment with my daughter?" And then it hit me that by enjoying time with Alexis I am enjoying time with God. God made me a mother and He has given me the responsibility to be a mother. When I am enjoying my role as a mother, in fact, I am enjoying my time of service for God in that role. It makes such a difference, I think, when you look at everything you enjoy in life as time with your almighty God. It means you can enjoy God 24/7 and not just in your quiet times.

It also hit me that time with children that you are not enjoying can still be time with God. We can appreciate the fact that God is still using us in his service to build the character of our children. And we ourselves are being molded into, hopefully!, more patient, persevering, loving mothers. So even the not so good times are times with God. With God day in and day out. Awesome.