Olive Shoots and Fruit that Remains

Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.


What a blessing and a gift from the Lord are my children!  I am reflecting on His goodness toward me this morning as I read His Word and spend time in prayer.  Each Monday, as the craziness of the week begins to weigh upon me, I am thankful for the time alone with Him to gather my thoughts...and combat most of them with His thoughts which are Truth.  As I pray, I realize I am asking Him to help me accomplish all I have to do and to give me strength.  When, in reality, I can do nothing in my own strength.  My prayer quickly changes to, "Lord, I cast all my cares upon You.  I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet.  Give me Your strength and accomplish Your will in my life today.  I know I can do nothing apart from you." That is what God's Word does for me...takes me from my small minded thinking, to His glorious Truth.

All that this morning because it is another milestone week in the life of our family:  our oldest daughter will leave for college on Friday.  How I love Psalm 128:3.  I love the visual of the olive shoots around the table and I think of it every day as we meet around the table for meals and to fellowship together.  But, how bittersweet as those olive shoots begin to branch out as they pursue God's calling on their lives.  My oldest, Micaiah, is a junior this year at The Master's College in California, but will be studying the entire Fall semester in Israel.  We are so excited for him and this opportunity.  My daughter, Schaeffer, will be attending Reformation Bible College as she prepares for the foreign mission field.  My second oldest daughter also turns 17 this week...how I am reminded to redeem the time I have left with her and the other 6 that will follow much too soon.


What an honor and privilege to live out God's design as a mother preparing those precious olive shoots.  I am thankful God has given us fruit.  Fruit that will remain, not necessarily always around our table, but remain in eternal value for the kingdom of God.