With Children Comes Grace

I ran into a mother at my daughter's school today who just figured out I'm expecting my fourth child. She launched into a fairly familiar speech I hear nearly every day. Some of the common statements mothers with larger families hear include:

"I don't know how you do it! I can barely manage the 1 (or 2) I have!"

"You're amazing!"

"Are you crazy?"

"You have your hand full."

"Did you do this on purpose?" (or some version of this question)

"How do you do it?"

Most of the time, when people say these things, I'm not bothered. Instead, I smile as I remember feeling the exact same way. I remember quite clearly, when I had only one child, seriously contemplating not having any more because it was literally the hardest thing I'd ever done and I wasn't sure I had it in me to handle two of them. I remember the occasional bursts of anxiety when I was pregnant with each of the first three children, wondering if I would actually make it through the next 20+ years without spontaneously com-busting. How on earth would I raise each of these children successfully into adulthood??

Now, pregnant with my fourth, I'm not at all worried. It took me three children, but I FINALLY figured out the secret.

No child comes into this world empty handed. Each and every one comes bearing an abundance of gifts from the Lord. With every one, I have a little more experience under my belt, a little more confidence, a little more strength to make it through each day. God sends each of these children to their parents with an entire bucket filled with GRACE! I finally have tangible evidence of what I knew intellectually, but did not fully trust until now. He would never give me one of His own children without providing me with everything I need to properly care for and raise that child. Whether it be 1, 2...7 or 8, the Lord provides the tools.

These incredible gifts that each of my children have brought to my life make me infinitely grateful. Pushing aside my fears and replacing them with faith has brought me more grace and joy than I could have ever thought possible.