Truly, Wondrously Blest

From Stepping Heavenward:

I celebrated my little Una's third birthday by presenting her with a new brother.  Both the children welcomed him with delight that was of itself compensation enough for all it cost me to get up such a celebration.  Martha takes a most prosaic view of this proceeding, in which she detects malice prepense on my part.  She says I shall now have one mouth the more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music, and drawing.

Well!  This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other.  Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery.  Here is a soul to train for God; and the body which it dwells is worthy all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant.  I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other darlings had left me.  Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother's heart, welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers!  Oh, how rich I am, how truly, wondrously blest!