The following article came to me author unknown:
 
     “We often learn the most from our children.  Some time ago a friend of mine punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the tree.  Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, ‘This is for you, Daddy.’
 
     “He was embarrassed by his earlier over-reaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty.  He yelled at her, ‘Don’t you know that when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside of it?’  The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, ‘Oh Daddy, it’s not empty.  I blew kisses into the box.  All for you, Daddy.’
 
     “The father was crushed.  He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged her forgiveness.  My friend told me that he kept that gold box by his bed for years.  Whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.  In a very real sense, each of us as parents has been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children.  There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.”
 
     Though my children are now all grown and out of the house, I cringe when I think of the times I may have done something similar while raising them.  Between all the occasions for fussing and discipline, I needed an occasional reminder to stop and remember what a treasure my children are (all three of them!) and how thankful I am to God for blessing me through them.
 
     “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is His reward.” (Psalm 127:3)

     May those of you who are parents truly treasure your children as a blessing from God, and may all of us show our heavenly Father the love and adoration that He is due from His children.

Alan Smith