You blink... and they become…

...it's one of those love/hate relationships...

Me hating the fact that it goes so fast,

that my time with each one is limited,

that I forget, mix up priorities and then miss something precious...

that there is no magic brick to place on heads to at least slow down the process.

So I seek to delight in every moment –

not only the sweet ones,

but also the savory or bitter or salty ones –

even the hard ones and spoiled ones...

simply because it is a moment WITH,

a moment that still belongs to me,

before they become…

Yet I also find myself intrigued by who God is growing them to be.

So at the same time, I’m loving the watching,

the participating,

in His maturing and ripening of these little ones

into bigger and finally mature ones.

I’m ever amazed that He chose to share them with me and my husband.

It is a priceless front row seat

as He uses us,

and this life He’s called us to,

in making each one into a unique chef-d’oeuvre…

...flourishing them, 

and often, in spite of me,

because He is the great I AM. 

Each one is not only becoming,

but is already counted,

 a precious masterpiece of His.

(While we can claim most of the the great kids and young people in these photos as part of our tribe..., we can't claim them all... although we DO take them on loan from their parents every chance they give us!)