A friend sent this to me by email and it made me think of when I had only 5 children and the oldest was five years old.
I too had prayed to God for children. When I was a child, I always said that I was going to have six children. Well, I got one more for luck (the twins in one go).
THE
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
> My husband and I had been happily
> married (most of the time)
> for five years
> but hadn't been blessed with a baby.
>
> I decided to do some serious
> praying and promised God
> that if he would give us a child,
> I would be a perfect mother,
> love it with all my heart
> and raise it with His word
> as my guide.
>
> God answered my prayers
> and blessed us with a son.
>
> The next year God blessed us
> with another son.
>
> The following year,
> He blessed us with
> yet another son.
>
> The year after that we
> were blessed with a daughter.
>
> My husband thought we'd
> been blessed right into poverty.
> We now had four children,
> and the oldest was only
> four years old.
>
> I learned never to ask God
> for anything unless I meant it
> As a minister once told me,
> "If you pray for rain,
> make sure you carry an umbrella."
>
> I began reading a few verses
> of the Bible to the children
> each day as they lay in their cribs.
>
> I was off to a good start.
> God had entrusted me
> with four children and
> I didn't want to disappoint Him.
>
> I tried to be patient the day
> the children smashed
> two dozen eggs on
> the kitchen floor searching
> for baby chicks.
>
> I tried to be understanding...
>
> when they started a hotel for
> homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours
> to catch all twenty-three frogs.
>
>
> When my daughter poured
> ketchup all over herself and
> rolled up in a blanket to see
> how it felt to be a hot dog,
> I tried to see the humor
> rather than the mess.
>
> In spite of changing over
> twenty-five thousand diapers,
> never eating a hot meal
> and never sleeping for more
> than thirty minutes at a time,
> I still thank God daily for my children.
>
> While I couldn't keep my promise
> to be a perfect mother -
> I didn't even come close...
> I did keep my promise
> to raise them in the Word of God.
>
> I knew I was missing the mark
> just a little when I told
> my daughter we were going
> to church to worship God,
> and she wanted to bring
> a bar of soap along to
> "wash up" Jesus, too.
>
> Something was lost
> in the translation when
> I explained that
> God gave us everlasting life,
> and my son thought it was
> generous of God to give
> us his "last wife."
>
> My proudest moment came
> during the children's
> Christmas pageant.
>
> My daughter was playing Mary,
> two of my sons were shepherds
> and my youngest son was a wise man.
> This was their moment to shine.
>
> My five-year-old shepherd
> had practiced his line,
> "We found the babe wrapped
> in swaddling clothes."
>
> But he was nervous and said,
> "The baby was wrapped
> in wrinkled clothes."
>
> My four-year-old "Mary" said,
> "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly.
>
> That's dirty, rotten clothes."
>
> A wrestling match broke out
> between Mary and the shepherd
> and was stopped by an angel,
> who bent her halo and lost
> her left wing.
>
> I slouched a little lower
> in my seat when Mary
> dropped the doll representing
> Baby Jesus, and it bounced
> down the aisle crying,
> "Mama-mama."
>
> Mary grabbed the doll,
> wrapped it back up
> and held it tightly as
> the wise men arrived.
>
> My other son stepped forward
> wearing a bathrobe
> and a paper crown,
> knelt at the manger
> and announced,
> "We are the three wise men,
> and we are bringing gifts
> of gold,
> common sense
> and fur."
>
> The congregation
> dissolved into laughter,
> and the pageant
> got a standing ovation.
>
> "I've never enjoyed a Christmas
> program as much as this one,"
> laughed the pastor,
> wiping tears from his eyes
>
> "For the rest of my life,
> I'll never hear the
> Christmas story without
> thinking of
> gold,
> common sense
> and fur."
>
> "My children are my pride
> and my joy and my greatest
> blessing," I said as I dug
> through my purse for an aspirin.
>
> Jesus had no servants,
> yet they called Him Master.
>
> Had no degree,
> yet they called Him Teacher .
>
> Had no medicines,
> yet they called Him Healer.
>
> Had no army,
> yet kings feared Him.
>
> He won no military battles,
> yet He conquered the world.
>
> He committed no crime,
> yet they crucified Him.
>
> He was buried in a tomb,
> yet He lives today.
>
> Feel honored
> to serve such a Leader
> who loves us.
>
> GOD BLESS
>
> YOU ALL
>
Angel cuddles, love, light, peace and abundance for all.
Sarah