Heritage

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.  (Psalms 127:3,NIV 1984). 

My Musings – We think very little of our heritage when we are young and just beginning a family. But as sunrise gives way to sunset, we think on it more and more.  God blessed us with two boys, when the doctors gave us little chance of any.  And after nearly eight years of marriage, it seemed like they were right.  Then, within the span of eighteen months we had two.  I don’t know if we did anything deserving of a reward, but we certainly were blessed.

Joshua, our oldest, was born prematurely and severely handicapped (cerebral palsy).  Unable to even play.  When we were not pushing him in his wheelchair we carried him.  He left us way too early, in his ninth year.  

Joel, our youngest, “came to the world in the usual way.”  Sometimes I don’t think I was able to carry him nearly long enough before he was scampering off to play.  And when he graduated college (summa cum laude) and moved away, I felt like he had left us way too early too.

Seems like I just looked away and they were gone.  One beyond our reach.  One not.  So “swiftly flow the days…laden with happiness and tears.”  As I reflect on it, I think they are not so much our heritage, as we are theirs.  How much different our lives would have been without them.  How much we would have lost.  And while we would have liked to have avoided the tears, the happiness was worth the tears.

Where is the little boy I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?

Why did he have to die so early?
Now he’s grown up and moved away?

I don’t remember growing older at all
Wasn’t it yesterday when they, were, small?

Sunrise, sunset, Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze
Sunrise, sunset, Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears

Adapted from Sunrise, Sunset, by Sheldon Harnick

My Advice – Whether children, siblings, parents, grandparents, cousins or friends. Thank God for those He has placed in your life and make the most of the time you have with them. for much too quickly does one season follows another.

Author: thebrewisamusing

I was raised in a Christian family and my earliest childhood memories include regular Sunday school and Church attendance as a family. I was taught that our Judeo-Christian values were not just a part of our Sunday routine they should be part of our character and influence all aspects of our lives. I was also taught that as important as these values were they could not save us. We must also be “born again” by accepting Christ. View all posts by thebrewisamusing