"My son, give me thine heart..."

"My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways."--Pr 23:26

I want my children's hearts.  I want them to confide in me.  I want them to know that I will always be there for their every need.  I want them to know that I will always give them a "listening ear."  I want a relationship where, as one seasoned mom put it, I "mesh" in their lives.  I want our home to be a place where they want to be.   I want to say, "My son, my daughter, give me your heart" and have them say, "Mom, you already have it."

That sounds so simple, but requires unselfishness on my part.  It requires my stopping to listen to...and try to follow...the huge explanation about some crazy invention that will never work in a million years.  Maybe it means that I have to skip my daily nap to have a birthday party for "baby" who is 100 years old because she has a birthday everyday.  If I want their heart, I have to show them that I want it. 

This is not to say my life needs to revolve around them or that I can only do what they want.  There must be a balance.  I definitely can improve on the giving of myself more.

The second part of the verse is hard.  Can I say, "Look what I am doing. Do it like this."  Do I want my children to have a devotional/prayer time like mine?  How about my testimony and witness?  What about my care, concern, compassion for others?  Should they be as "thoughtful" as I am?  That is scary!!!  Do I want them to speak to their siblings the way I speak to them or their dad?  Would I be happy if they obeyed me the way I obey the Lord or submit the way I do?  What if they had my work ethic or organizational skills?  My christian service? 

I am purposing in my heart to meditate daily on this verse for a while.   As a mom would you consider doing the same?