To an artist, a blank canvas can be both intimidating (staring at it for hours not knowing what to put on it) and exciting (filled with all the things you want to put on it).

But have you ever looked at children as being a blank canvas?

I remember as a young adult saying to my mom, "I'll never be like you." Of course, thinking I knew all the answers. As I grew older, mom became smarter. But there still are things that I changed that made me different from my mom. I like to look at that as "learning from my mom's mistakes".

Now that I have my own daughter, she really was a blank canvas. Only in the sense that how I treated her, and the aspects of my life will reflect on who she will become.

So what did I put on my child's canvas?

My first thoughts, as I was carrying her inside of me, were "I don't have much, but I have all the love in the world for her."

LOVE 

I wanted her to be secure in herself and know that she is loved and much wanted. So I searched out how to act and what to say to give her security in herself, to be all that God has created her to be. 

SECURITY 

I wanted her to know that life isn't just given. Life is meant to be lived...put forth effort...no matter what the circumstance is.

EFFORT

Another area of concern is togetherness. I grew up in a family that thought everyone did their own thing, a type of selfishness, if you allow me to use that word. I wanted her to know that we are here to help each other.

HELPFULNESS

Dignity is another concern. Success isn't defined by how much you have, but by your substance of life. What have you overcome, how did you overcome, and who was helped along the way? Everyone deserves dignity, no matter where in life their position may be.

DIGNITY

And the most important aspect that I wanted to paint on my child's canvas was Godliness. I am blessed to have her in my life because God trusted her to me. I needed to lead her to God and never let her forget that she came from Him.

GODLINESS

I like to think that I painted a RAINBOW of colors on my child's canvas to equip her to bring the world to God.

What would you put on your child's canvas?