My Sweet Emily

I touched a little on Emily and encouraging her dreams and talents today in the Halloween blog. But this subject is really dear to my heart. I am so many times surprised by her insight, her mind and her emotional capacity for accepting love. And sometimes I am fearful that I will not be able to give her everything that she deserves from a mother. But I think every mother feels that way.

Fortunately God stretches me everyday past my preconceived ideas of what I thought I was capable of.

God is good. He alone knows where we are going in the future and how He is preparing us. And for some reason He blessed us with this beautiful, special girl and it is my gift and joy to join in the ride of a lifetime. To be instrumental in shaping her in His image and unveiling her gifts.

I can't help but think of the refiner's fire. What tests, what challenges, what joyful experiences will she go through to reveal the character and the talents that He gave just to her? And how will we as parents play a part in that refining process?

Who knows what she may be able to do? She certainly is thinking further ahead than even I ever did as a child, and believe me I have always been a big dreamer! Maybe that is why God made me the way I am, made me such a big dreamer, so that I can understand and encourage that side of this beautiful being that is my daughter.

Maybe I didn't do everything right in my life with my talents and gifts, but I certainly recognize them in my daughter and my son. And I'm grateful that I see them at such an early age. And I'm even grateful that I've always recognized my own weaknesses, though they have caused me no end of self-doubt and self-criticism, and even though they've plagued me and been difficult to overcome.

But aren't they always difficult to overcome? That's exactly why weaknesses are called weaknesses.

Hopefully I am learning to recognize and guide my children at an early age so that they can fulfill their gifts fully. It is actually exciting to see how Emily is thinking so far ahead of what I ever did!

Looking forward to the possibilities, I never want to limit my children's possibilities or beliefs in what they are capable of if they are willing to work for it. Even if it what they dream may seem impossible to me at the time. (And that seems pretty farfetched to me right now, as I have never seen anything as impossible at the outset really, just maybe deep down I may not have believed it might be possible for me to accomplish it myself.)

So Emily and I were talking about the presidential race and she asked whether or not a kid can become president.

She said, "Can I be president?"

I said, "If you want to, sure, someday."

She said, "But is it legal for a kid to be President, Mommy?"

I said, "No, honey. But if you really want to be president someday, there are a few things you should do first to prepare yourself to be a really good president. Because you're going to have to run the country, you know."

She was all ears. "Like what?"

"Well, like go to school, learn everything you can. Serve in the military for a time, so you can lead your troops. Run your own business. And travel the world and learn as much as you can about the world." She was pretty much in awe.

I said there was a lot of work involved, but that was a good start. I also said maybe she could be even be the first woman President. She thought that was cool.

Anyway, enough rhapsodizing about the future…..

Suffice it to say, I feel blessed. In awe, overwhelmed at times at the responsibility and my own frailties, but blessed.

I love you, Emily.