“God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again” (Philippians 1:6, NCV).

     I once heard it said that having a child is akin to having your heart walk outside of your body. The process of raising children is rich with emotion. As a parent, your soul rises and falls as your daughter or son experiences the joys and sorrows of life.

“Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life” (Proverbs 22:6,GNT).

“Discipline your children, and they will give you rest; they will give delight to your heart” (Proverbs 29:17, NRSV).

     I recall the moment I drove away from the hospital following the birth of my first child. I was terrified. Resting comfortably in the car seat behind me was a little person for whom I was entirely responsible. Questions raced through my mind such as, “Do I have what it takes to be a good role model? Will I be capable of equipping my son for the future?” But the question that frightened me most was this: “Will my child grow up to hate me?”

“Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, NIV).

     Last Monday, the Middlesex County Library received a pair of long-overdue books. The books traveled by mail from a home in Ontario, Canada some 600 miles to the Massachusetts library. Officials report that the books are no longer in their system after being checked out about
seven years ago.