Dancing in the Light

I John 1:7 "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin."

Name:
Location: North Platte, Nebraska, United States

I am a christian wife, mother and grandmother. I am a licensed Social worker and a licensed Christian counselor. I am most proud of the relationships I have with God, my family and friends all over the world. I have been blessed beyond my dreams.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Daughters-in-law

I have been thinking about my blessings, thanking God for all the wonderful and amazing people He has put in my life. This week, especially, I have been thinking about my daughters-in-law. There are not a lot of daughter-in-laws mentioned in the Bible. We know that Noah's sons and their wives were on the ark with him for many many days. (I am not sure being on a giant boat with their mother-in-law, thousands of animals, day after day of rain and the knowledge that they were the last living humans on earth would be fun for Traci and Larissa ) While the text doesn't say what the relationship was, we could assume it became a close one given they were the only four women on earth. We know there were other daughter-in-laws but we are not privy to their stories either.

But, we have many details about one mother and daughter-in-law relationship. Of course, we have the story of Ruth and Naomi. If you remember, Ruth was married to one of Naomi's son. Naomi was a widow and after ten years, Ruth's husband was also killed, as well as Naomi's other son. Anyway, Naomi decides to return to her homeland. She makes this decision based on knowledge that in her homeland, widows will be provided for, therefore she would not be a burden to her daughters-in-law. She encourages them to return to their homelands and marry again. As she prepares to leave, these two young women make arrangements to go with her. Naomi discourages them from leaving with her. She calls them "my daughters". We all know the story, how Ruth begs to go with her mother in law and ends up married to Boaz and is in the lineage of our Savior. Her stirring monologue to Naomi is used in many 20th century wedding ceremonies as a vow of devotion to one's mate. What I love about this story is not just the devotion Ruth has for Naomi, but also that Naomi has to both her daughters-in-law. The fact she calls them "daughter" and wishes the best for them, even a new husband, is wonderful to me.

From the time my boys were born, I began praying for their future wives. God is good and He has given me wonderful daughters-in-law. Both of them are from Christian families and carry with them the same values my sons were raised with. They love their husbands, they adore their children and they are very good to Ned and I. I knew both of these girls before my sons did and being friends with them before they became family, only sweetened the relationships.
Having not had a relationship with them from birth, I don't know the events that molded them and shaped them into the brilliant and beautiful young women they are today. I do know that I am grateful to their parents and their grandparents for the role they played.

They are good to me, like Ruth was to Naomi. In chapter 4:15 of Ruth, it says, you daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons has given birth." My grandchildren are the most amazing combination of their mothers and fathers. They are gentle and kind and funny and smart and absolutely beautiful, a lot like their mothers. These beautiful children are such blessings. Just as their parents are.

While I can never take the place of their own mothers, these young women are indeed my "daughters". I could no more magine life without them than I could imagine life without Chad or Nathan. In Psalm 127, God says children are a reward from Him. He rewarded me with two sons of my own and then again when the boys married Traci and Larissa. What an awesome God, He just keeps on giving and giving!!!

May you all be blest as I have been,
Neva

1 Comments:

Blogger Desiree' said...

Traci IS a great person!!!
She is a great friend and the way she talks about Chad and the boys, I just KNOW she is a great wife and mother as well.
I am lucky to have her in my life, and it is so nice that she has a mother-in-law such as you , in her life.
Friend of Traci's,
Desiree'

11:58 AM  

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