At any given moment, there are ten eyes watching us. These little eyes watch how we respond to life, be it the good or the bad. These little eyes watch how we treat each other. These little eyes watch to see what is going on in our world. These little eyes watch to see how we treat other people. These little eyes watch us, whether we want them to or not. Little eyes watch us daily, hourly, second by second, and they imitate what we are doing.
Here lately I have been reminded of these little eyes by the way life is happening. I have been challenged that I've not been touching my older kiddos enough. At least once a day I announce that it is time for a "proper hug". During this time, I've noticed that even he little boys line up to hug each other. The big kids act like they hate it, but I don't care. I want to make sure I never stop hugging and loving on them. What has struck me is how I hear Cole grab John Robert and now ask for a proper hug. I've also noticed Jacob grabbing our legs and squeezing them tight more. I want our children to be loving. I'm glad my houseful of little eyes has seen this. More than that, I am happy that proper hugs are being imitated daily.
More than the hugging, I'm very grateful my little eyes have seen the Bible being read and that little eyes have seen their parents praying. At our table, there are seats that are reserved for a certain person. This morning Jacob had a picture book open sitting at Robert's spot. I noticed it in passing while I was carrying laundry, didn't think anything of it until John Robert called me to come look. When I rounded the corner I saw Jacob with his hands folded and eyes closed. He was imitating what he sees daily, Robert sitting at his spot at the table reading his Bible and praying. It was at this moment that it struck me just how often our little eyes were watching us, just how much the little eyes imitate what they see, and just the sheer volume of responsibility that we have as parents to raise them in the way that they are to go.
I have heard, and rightly so, that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. To me there is no better example of this than what happens in my home daily. I have five little ones with their ten eyes watching Robert and I as we purpose to live our lives. Some days, most days, I feel that I've made a mess of things. Today, with the gift of proper hugs and the sight of my one year old praying like his daddy, I feel like we are doing something right. Maybe, just maybe we can raise our children to impact the world greatly, to make their mark for future generations, and to change the world of even their great grandchildren. After all, I am not raising children for tomorrow, I am raising my children to impact all of eternity. Some-days I forget that's why what these little eyes see is so important. Not today, today I didn't forget. Today I actually got it right. Today I was reminded why what I do, say, think, feel, react to, move towards, and place value and import on matters.
Little eyes are watching us. Today, this reminder was a precious gift. My prayer is that the eyes that are watching me will find my flimsy efforts at love and leading by example the strength they need to conquer the world. More than that, I pray that Christ's eyes, the eyes that are always watching me find me worthy of a life spent doling out proper hugs and watching little boys want to be like their daddy!
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