The antique rose looks good growing in masses as a hedge or alone as an accent to the garden. It is very fragrant.
Lately I have been reading my daughter's blog and blogs of her friends. I laugh at the antics of preschoolers and the uninhibited things they say and remember the stress of raising children. The constant awareness that as a mother you need to continually be teaching proper etiquette, appropriate behavior, skills of all kinds always looking for a teaching moment. I have found that instead of offering unsolicited advice or reminding them of the things they said and did, that I can be more encouraging to these young mothers by reminding them that the same promises God made to Mary at the birth of Jesus are true today.
God had a plan for His Son, Emmanual, Jesus to be the Savior of the World. This is the Gift that we celebrate at Christmas. He is our Savior. He is our Joy. He is our Peace. He is our Hope. He is truly the Gift of Life. All prophecies of the birth and death of Jesus were fulfilled. God is faithful. God also has a plan for each one of our children. They are a gift to us. To love. To enjoy. Just as Mary was in awe of how to raise this child and seeking God's direction to fulfill the plan He had for Jesus' life so we must also seek the Lord for direction on how to teach our children. He has a plan for each child that is born and He is faithful to fulfill his plan.
Being an "antique rose" I can now see how God's plan unfolded, I can see answered prayers and I can encourage these young mothers there is a plan for each of their children. His plan for your children will be accomplished.
