The blessings pour in...

Today has been a wonderful day for me both as a wife and a mother. This has truly been a day where I have felt blessed from sun up to sun down. Ryan and I attended a marriage conference at our church today that was awesome. I really loved it and felt like I came away from it with a great renewed sense of my role as Ryan's wife. I am positive he would say the same for his experience. Something that really struck me was the reminder that God isn't just my spiritual father but also my spiritual father-in-law. That Ryan is God's son and when I am hurting Ryan through my actions or words, I am hurting God. In the same way that I want Hayden's future husband to love her fully and out of reverance for God, God wants me to do the same for Ryan and vice-versa. Gary Thomas, the speaker sharing this wisdom, told us to picture God saying to us, "(Ryan) isn't just your husband, he's my son." Pretty powerful, isn't it?
After coming home to Hayden after the conference, my day just kept getting better. Ryan and I stopped at Mardel on our way home to get some books for her. I picked out one with Bible stories for children her age and one with little songs that have accompanying actions to go with the words. I was excited to get home and start a story with her but, I admit, I was half-expecting her to get distracted and want to move on to something else. Instead, she was totally engrossed in the first story and kept asking me to go on to the next one, and the next one, and the next one. Then we picked up the songbook and I started with the first three songs. I repeated them a few times and then suddenly she was finishing my phrases for me before I even sang them. She was even doing the motions! We brought Daddy in and she performed for him. Oh, what I've been missing out on!!!! My heart is so full and I can just see God working before my eyes. On Hayden, yes, but more than anyone I see Him working on me. To end this wonderful day I read a poem in my Bible study tonight that touched me so much I plan to write it out and keep it on my bathroom mirror. (For those of you reading this that are in the study, yes this from day one's homework. I'm behind!) I'm going to type the poem here so someone else can be touched by it:
Some have had kings in their lineage,
Some to whom honor is paid.
Not blest of my ancestors-but,
I have a mother who prays.

I have a mother who prays for me
And pleads with the Lord every day for me.
Oh what a difference it makes for me-
I have a mother who prays.

Some have worldly success
And trust in the riches they've made-
This is my surest asset,
I have a mother who prays.

My mother's prayers cannot save me,
Only mine can avail;
But mother introduced me to Someone-
Someone who never could fail.

Oh yes...I have a mother who prays for me
And pleads with the Lord every day for me.
O what a difference it makes for me-
I have a mother who prays.
-Author unknown
Blessings to you this week, my sweet friends.