"Her Children Rise"

"Her children rise and call her blessed? (Proverbs 31)" I wonder how she does that. My children do not rise at all. They must be drug out of bed every morning. I love to get up in the morning and step out onto my deck and soak in God's presence. If I did not need to arise before the sun comes up, I can enjoy seeing the horses down in the pasture or enjoy God's songs of joy in the sunrise. Mornings can be so serene, even in the dark before the dawn, and then... it's time to call the kids.

It's like blowing up a balloon only to intentionally stick a pin in it. There must have been a mix up at the hospital when my babies were born. What did they do with the children that were going to rise up and call me blessed? Mine don't rise at all and if they do I assure you they call me anything but blessed. I don't sound or look very blessed by the fourth or fifth time I have to call them. As the minutes tick away and they haven't budged, as the dreaded mad dash to the bus stop approaches, I begin to look more frantic and stressed, if you can imagine.

Does anyone have children that rise and call them blessed? If you do please comment to this blog, we want to know your secret! I am not going to quit trying to hold the standard of the Proverbs 31 woman but as scripture says, she is a rare gem. If you have a child that rises willingly and without fret, feel very blessed. If you have two, you are truly blessed.

For me, I am working on ways to encourage the children to rise up on time and get out the door. But when kids turn 16, it is difficult to use some of the same methods we used when they were young. You can't pull their big toe like my dad used to do and they don't think 'water treatment' is fun anymore. You can't entice them with breakfast because they no longer eat before noon. I guarantee they will test you on your ability to really take away their vehicle for life and will torment you with procrastination until the very second the bus pulls around the corner.

The moment I know both my children are at school and will not be released until 3pm in the afternoon, is as peaceful as that first moment each morning I spend on the deck. I relish in the tranquility, knowing I am no longer up against the burden of my responsibility for them for 7 whole hours or until I get a call from the school whichever comes first. My dreaded morning duty, rising the children, is done and I can go about all my other duties knowing all other obstacles in my day will pale in comparison.