Quit Stealing My Children!

It happens to the best of us. God allows us the privilege of raising the most beautiful new born baby, and then it disappears!!! Don’t get me wrong; whoever steals the baby always leaves someone in its place. First the newborn disappears. One wakes up and a screaming, messy toddler is in the baby bed demanding a diaper change. Where did the sweet, quiet newborn go? About the time one gets used to the demanding toddler there it goes as well! A well-spoken, giggly independent preschooler is left on the front porch refusing to come inside. Once one learns the many twists and turns to getting this one to conform, a school age romping, stomping, snotty nosed kiddo walks in wanting to know what’s for supper. Someone quit stealing my children!!!! We have it in our heads this happens subtly, but no it’s an overnight exchange when one is least expecting it! Once the school age child that now has one carpooling almost every waking minute and needing help with homework stacked a mile high, it happens again, only this time it’s a morph kind of thing. A tall, shapelier, sleepy teenager crawls out of that elementary child’s bed and doesn’t want to go to school. This one posed the most amazing challenge. This is when I'd finally had enough! This was the time I started finally rebelling about this whole baby stealing thing. STOP! Give me back my children! But no, it’s too late. I’ve done everything I can to try and stop this intruder, but to no avail. He just keeps coming back. I even tried doing it all over again! I went to Guatemala and adopted two more precious newborns, but guess what, the baby stealer has already struck once, leaving me with those messy, screaming toddlers, and I fear at least one of my children will soon be replaced with that independent preschooler. Is there no end to this madness!! I have in my search for my precious newborns found out the name of this unwelcome intruder and his name is TIME. He is a relentless foe, and wins out every time. I have learned that if you are aware of this intruder, and anticipate his moves, you can get one foot up on him. Invest everything you have in the child that’s in your home, and never let a teachable moment pass one by. Love as if there’s no tomorrow and then the last time the intruder comes and steals away your child, he leaves the most wonderful, God honoring, friend, confidante, and ally one can never imagine. I know because it happened to me. Now I don’t dread his coming nearly as bad. TIME can also be your friend (if you manage him wisely).