One Reason for a Sweet and Clean Life

Read this and wanted to take a few minutes to write and think about it.

"Motherhood is a hallowed place because children aren't commonplace. Co-laboring over the sculpting of souls is a sacred vocation, a humbling privilege. Never forget".

This statement is chock full of truth that pierces straight to the heart. Children are far from commonplace but moreover, they are souls, not one unnoticed by God. And when a child is place in my care, I sorely need to remember that. A soul, a soul...this makes me think of one of my most favorite poems ever, by J.R. Miller:

Mothers of Young Children
Oh mothers of young children, I bow before you in reverence.
Your work is most holy. You are fashioning the destinies of
immortal souls. The powers folded up in the little ones that
you hushed to sleep in your bosoms last night, are powers that
shall exist forever. You are preparing them for their immortal
destiny and influence. Take up your sacred burden reverently.
Be sure your heart is pure and that your life is sweet and clean."

Knowing that I am fashioning souls and destinies, eternal ones, helps my perspective. Helps me get my mind and heart around my vocation, mommy, much better. In the ins and outs of a day, sometimes I forget, for seconds, minutes, hours, the bigger picture. Souls. That is why my life should be sweet and clean. That is why I need to stay close to the Father, that is why I need to be on my knees.

To train little ones to become big ones who serve the Lord is a large job. But the Father asks one thing of me and that is to abide with Him. He will bring the results, the fruits. John 15 talks so much about that. Keeping my life sweet and clean is the beginning of this grand task. And more and more I ask the Lord, "Give me more grace Lord, more grace."

From the Book of Micah, chapter 6:
6 With what shall I come before the LORD,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?