3/15/2024
The Power Of A MamaI looked into my daughter’s eyes. They were scared and filled with tears, desperately looking for answers. They were crying “Please help me.” without saying a word. And 30 years flashed by in that moment…
I saw her tiny eyes when they opened for the very first time. They called me “Mama”, without saying a word. I saw her tiny, 2 year old eyes when I joined the other mamas at the church nursery door. With relief they cried, “There you are mama.” without saying a word. I saw her tiny, 4 year old eyes in pain when she broke her collar bone. They cried “Please take away this pain.” without saying a word. I saw her little, 5 year old eyes hold on to mine as she left for her first day of school. They cried “I will miss you so much.” without saying a word. I saw her little, 7 year old eyes on the platform during the spring concert. They searched for me among a sea of faces in the school auditorium. When they found me they smiled and said, “I’m so glad you’re here.” without saying a word. I saw her big girl, 15 year old eyes on the basketball court when she made that shot. They turned to see if I saw, and when they locked with mine I cried, “I’m so proud of you.” without saying a word. I saw her big girl, 18 year old eyes filled with tears as we said goodbye in front of her dormitory. I could not speak for the lump in my throat, my eyes cried “It’s too soon. I’m not ready. There’s so much more I need to teach you, but you will do amazing and I will miss you more than you will ever know.”, without ever saying a word. I saw her adult eyes filled with happiness when she walked down that aisle. They caught mine and my heart cried, “God is answering my prayers today, even though I wish you could stay my little girl a little longer.” But my eyes reflected her happiness, without saying a word. When she held her newborn for the very first time, I saw her mama eyes. Her heart smiled through them and when they caught mine I cried, “How can this be? My baby had a baby.” and my own heart filled with unexplainable love, without saying a word. But then, I saw her scared, confused sorrow filled eyes as they pleaded for help, and the tears spilled down her cheeks. And the “hard” hit like it never has before. I held her. And I let those eyes cry. I didn’t have the answers. I couldn’t take the “hard” away. And when she looked into my eyes, I wiped her tears away and cried “I will always, always be here for you. I may not always have the answers, but I will hold you, and pray for you, and love you forever.” without ever saying a word. Oh mama. Those eyes are always searching for yours. On days when you don’t feel like you measure up. On days when you feel like you blew it. On days when you don’t have the answers for the hard questions. Those eyes will still look for yours. They need you and they will always look for yours. Because you are mama. I have verbally said all of these things to my children, but sometimes our children don’t need answers, they just need our presence. Your presence holds the very essence of what a mama is. When they look into your eyes, make sure that’s what they see. Strength, guidance, nurturing and loyalty. Protection, pride, comfort and unconditional love. In the pain, in the background, in the crowd, in the big steps and small ones, in the heartache and the happiness. As long as you are alive, even in their old age~be present. Because your presence says it all, without ever saying a word. That’s the power of a mama. “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?” Isaiah 49:15 “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” Isaiah 66:13
1/26/2024
Your Child’s In BetweenYOUR CHILD’S “IN BETWEEN”.
When I recall my early childhood, I wish that I could adequately express all the beautiful emotions and joy I feel, then wrap up those words and give that gift to all of you. I feel the same emotions and joy when I recall raising my own children. Words cannot describe it. Every moment wasn’t perfect. A lot of being a mama was messy, but all of it was beautiful. And it still is. I read a verse this week that really spoke to my heart. “As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you.” Isaiah 66:13. It stopped me in my tracks. God was comparing the comfort He gives to that of a mother’s. He didn’t say His comfort was greater, He said it was just like a mother’s. That is pretty profound. What a significant role a mama plays in the lives of her children. Something a child doesn’t truly understand until they are in that role themselves. When I was little, I vividly remember wanting to grow up and be just like my mom. To me, she was perfect in every way. Even now, at 58 when I think about my childhood, my memories are filled with joy and comfort and love. It was a precious piece of my life. After I became a mom, I realized what a precious time it was for my mom as well. When I got a little older, I don’t ever remember a time that I didn’t want my mom to be around, or that I felt embarrassed by her presence. I also never remember my thoughts voicing the opinion that I hated her. But then, I became a senior in high school and that relationship changed. I most definitely was NOT living for the Lord. I did some things I’m not proud of. My mom would try to talk to me, but all I remember thinking was~ “She just doesn’t understand.” I’m sure the things I did wouldn’t seem significant to the outside world, but inside I knew my heart was dangerously far from God. I wanted to run away. I wanted to lock myself in my room. I wanted to be far away from my mom. That mama that I wanted to grow up to be. That mama who filled my childhood with joy and comfort and love. It was a phase where I felt completely misunderstood. When my own teenagers became seniors in high school, I realized how very much my mom truly understood, and how very much she loved me. With every year that passed, there was a new phase of motherhood where realizations hit me. Realizations that my own mother had gone through the same things with me. Sadly I am still realizing, but it’s too late to tell her that now I understand. My mom has been gone for 20 years. At times I cannot even wrap my head around that fact. 20 years of realizations that could not be rectified. I’m not going to pretend that everything between us was perfect when she passed away. We still had our issues, but my understanding of many of those issues has changed with every passing year. And today, even at 58 I long for that comfort that only my mom could give. We sow and we reap and we go through the “in between” with our children, praying that one day they will get it. One day they will understand. My heart aches for the mama who is going through that “in between”. My heart aches for the child who doesn’t realize and may not realize until their mama is gone. How can we avoid the “in between” our children go through? From the awe and love they have, to disrespect and disregard, and then finally~the understanding. It’s so hard. Sometimes that “in between” can take years. And our mama hearts break. How can this be prevented? Sadly, sometimes it can’t. Sadly we can raise our children to the best of our abilities, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We can teach them to love Jesus with their everything. We can pray with them, lead by example, take them to church and yet somehow satan’s lies become bigger than a mama’s love and steal that child like innocence away. What’s left for a mama to do? What’s left when we feel like we’ve lost them? What’s left when they scream at us that we just “don’t understand”, and our hearts are crying to tell them that they are the ones who don’t understand? What’s left when we feel like we need a miracle? Jesus. Jesus is that miracle. And so, we pour our hearts out to Him and we don’t stop. I am living proof of prayer through the “in between”. My husband is living proof of prayer through the “in between”. My children are living proof of prayer through the “in between”. No matter how long it has been, no matter how long it takes, no matter how old they are, I am here to tell you mama~ don’t give up hope. Hope in the Holy Spirit to grab a hold of your child’s heart and hand, and lead them out of the “in between” and back to that tiny part of their child like heart. Back to you. Back to God. God’s comfort and love are more powerful than satan’s lies. Your comfort and love are more powerful than satan’s lies. He may fool for the moment, but their hearts will eventually remember and return. They will remember your prayers. They will remember your love. They will remember your comfort. The comfort that compares to God’s. Hold on to that truth, because that truth is power. SCRIPTURE READING: Ephesians 4:14-15 Ephesians 6:1-4 Philippians 4:6-7 Proverbs 22:6 Deuteronomy 6:5-7 1 Thessalonians 5:14 1 Thessalonians 5:17 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Isaiah 66:13
11/3/2023
The Truth I’m Standing OnI love history.
Please don’t stop reading just because you think you don’t relate. I guarantee this applies to you. You love history too, you just don’t realize it. Just a few weeks ago my husband took me on a dream vacation. It wasn’t Hawaii, or the Bahamas. It was Plymouth, Massachusetts, and I loved every single second of it. To walk inside a reproduction of the very ship~the Mayflower~ that the pilgrims sailed over on, and to realize the hardships they endured was overwhelming. To stand in the very place our pilgrims landed was incredibly moving. To visit a recreation of the plantation those same pilgrims started, nearly half of whom died, was emotional and humbling. But I was also saddened during our time there. We became aware that it seemed history was being rewritten in some areas we visited, and it really bothered me. It bothered me because I know… I know we have written accounts, original manuscripts from the very pilgrims that landed here, and people are actively trying to change these accounts. The authors of the original manuscripts had no agenda. Their writings were personal journals for their own behalf, yet correlated completely with each other. One day the next generation may view the beautiful history of our great country through a completely different lens. I want to be able to teach them the truth and to preserve that history. As I was saddened to ponder all of this, I thought about God and His word and my heart was filled with thankfulness. Despite what the world might throw at us, despite what they say is truth, even though that truth seems to change on a daily basis, my God never changes. His word never changes. The same yesterday, today and forever. What joy and peace and comfort that brings to my soul. And yes, that’s why you love history as much as I do, because God’s truths are our history. It’s in those truths that we receive the message of salvation and hope, of peace that passes understanding, of the terror of Hell, but the glory of Heaven. Of our God who has mercy and compassion and grace, and loves us no matter what. So much so that He gave His Son for us. All of that history that was written years ago is the hope we all cling to today. Can you imagine life without it? Its promises give us comfort on our darkest days. We love every word, and it’s still the truth today. It’s still alive today. It will never change. I will continue to teach my grandchildren the beautiful, sacrificial journey the pilgrims made and the blessing it is to live in this country, and worship God freely because of it. And I will continue to teach the next generation the beautiful, sacrificial journey our Savior made from His home in glory, so that we could have a home in heaven with Him one day. I will cling to its truths, despite what the world claims is truth. I will hold it in my heart and lean on its promises. As I stood at Plymouth Rock and my emotions swelled deep inside me, I couldn’t help but think of another rock. The solid rock. The truth I’m standing on. The rock that will never change, despite the storms that may surround us. It’s our cornerstone and foundation, and it’s the very rock that our pilgrims depended on as they set sail for this beautiful country we now have the privilege to call home. Thank God for that history that is ours. Thank God the pilgrims chose to build their house upon THE ROCK. SCRIPTURE READING: Malachi 3:6 Hebrews 13:8 2 Peter 1:19-21 Hebrews 4:12 2 Samuel 22:32 1 Samuel 2:2 Psalm 18:31 Psalm 62:2, 6&7 Psalm 31:3 Psalm 18:1-2 Matthew 7:24 Deuteronomy 32:4 Psalm 77:11-12 Psalm 78:2-4, 6-7
8/25/2023
Off To College, A Note To MomsEvery new step into our children’s future brings them excitement. Maybe a little trepidation, but excited trepidation (if there is such a thing).
And every new step into our children’s future brings us mamas a little bit of pain. We see their excitement and we are so happy for them, but our hearts break just a little bit with each step they take. When they’re an infant, we think we want them to take those first steps but the minute they do, we’re missing our little baby. Because once they take that first step, they don’t stop. Life goes on, faster and faster. You feel as if they are running and your heart is whispering, slow down. Please slow down. From elementary to junior high to high school to drivers permits and licenses to college applications and packing up their things. And then to driving off. They can hardly sit still. You see the future in their eyes, but you also see your past. Your baby. You smile with them, but you feel it deeply. They are leaving. And as you watch them drive away your heart is screaming. Slow down. Mamas everywhere are saying goodbye to their babies right about now. After a year of non stop craziness, they are suddenly left with a quick hug outside a packed car or dormitory far from home. And for a brief moment, you see it in their eyes. 18 years of emotions flooding to the surface. Because in that moment they realize who you really are and who you have always been and a part of them doesn’t want to let go either. A tear may sneak out and a whisper of “love you’s” might follow~ but then, it’s over. They turn and they’re gone. I remember all of it. All the tears and all the emotions and all the excitement and all the pride. Like it was yesterday. I remember thinking they were gone for good. This was it. But it wasn’t. And it isn’t for you either mama Because they will ALWAYS remember who you really are and who you have always been and you will always be “home” to them. You will always be love. You will always be comfort. You will always be a needed hug and a shoulder to cry on and a recipe to share and the doctor when they don’t want to call the doctor. You will always, always be mom and they won’t ever forget. Because they will always be your baby. Let’s think outside the box today. What is your enemy/enemies?
Notice I did not ask “who” your enemy was. Quite often we find ourselves in circumstances beyond our control. Those circumstances cause our hearts to be heavy and our thoughts to spiral, so we look for things to blame for those circumstances. A person that hurt us. A health problem. A financial scare. Watching those we love suffer. Such has been my case for the last few months. My adult children have been suffering, and I’ll be honest~it’s been way too hard. Anxiety and sleeplessness have prevailed. Countless tears have been shed. It’s been discouraging and frightening. It’s been physically and emotionally draining. It’s been me trying to blame the circumstances and problems for all the emotions I just listed. The reality is, the problem has been in my head. The multitude of thoughts within me have been on the problems instead of God’s promises. I realized that this morning. My reading was Psalm 1-8. Very familiar passages. Because I have read these chapters so many times, I actually had the fleeting thought that they would not bring me the comfort I was desperately needing today. But just like God always does, my eyes were opened once again. Let me break it down for you. Psalm 1:2~’His delight is in God’s word and he meditates on it day and night.’ I immediately realized I have been meditating on the darkness my kids have been walking through, and trying to somehow find a way to fix problems or bring them comfort, instead of meditating on God’s words and leaning on them. Psalm 3:1&2~’There are so many that trouble me, rise up against me and convince me that God will not help.’ So often when we read the Psalms, particularly verses like these, we think of physical people. Here is where I want you to think outside the box. What if you added~ Many “thoughts” trouble me. Many “thoughts” rise up against me. Many “thoughts” convince me that God cannot help. Because~ isn’t that the truth? God tells us over and over again that He loves us. He will help us. His plan is for our good. He will never leave us. But we let the enemy, our thoughts, convince us otherwise. *Our enemy called discouragement. *Our enemy called fear. *Our enemy called sadness. *Our enemy called unbelief. *Our enemy called hard. *Our enemy called anger or loneliness. *Our enemy called tired, depleted and empty. *Our enemy that tells us we can’t do this. We can’t go on. That it’s hopeless. Psalm 3:3~’But’. I’m so thankful for that little word, because it brings hope. ‘But God. God is our shield, our glory and the lifter up of our head.’ This verse really struck me. My daughter just had a baby girl 2 weeks ago. As my husband was holding her, she kept trying to hold her head up to look at him. We were amazed at the strength she had for only being 2 weeks old, but eventually her tiny self could not keep up. She let out the sweetest little cry and then she just laid down against my husband and in all that coziness, she fell fast asleep. You know where I’m going with this. When my feelings tell me that things will never look up, God literally just told me ‘He is the lifter up of my head’, not me. He is my strength when my tiny self has no strength. And then… Psalm 3:4&5~’I cried to God and He sustained me and I slept in peace.’ It isn’t until I realize all the things above that sleep and peace will come. It isn’t until I cry out to God and realize that it is He who holds me and sustains me and that I cannot do it myself, that I can lay down against Him and in all that coziness, rest in His peace. Psalm 3:6&8~ And that’s when I realize that ‘I don’t have to be afraid of ten thousand thoughts’ that enter this mama’s mind and fight against me. Because God is my strength and salvation. He is my children’s strength and salvation. His blessings are upon us. There is so much more here~ Psalm 4:1~God gives us relief when we are in distress. Psalm 4:3~The Lord has set us apart and will hear when we call. Psalm 4:4&5~I can be still when I put my trust in God, even when the thoughts creep in and say, ‘Will things ever be good again? Who will help me?’ Psalm 4:6~I know God will. His light will break through all the darkness and shine on me and my children. Psalm 4:7&8, 5:11&12~And God will put gladness and joy in my heart again. Sleeplessness will be replaced with joy. Psalm 5:3~And in the morning, I will look up at God, but things will be different because I won’t be trying to do it in my own strength anymore. He will be holding me.
7/7/2023
I Was Just A KidWhen I was younger, I was teased a lot. Mostly by boys, and not in a good way. Quite often the remarks went along the lines of my appearance. My boyish hair cut and body shape only added fuel to the fire. And even though I was just a kid, I can remember those remarks like it was yesterday, and they still sting…
There are many mistakes I made as a mom. I think most moms end up feeling this way at some point. Even today I worry that I disappoint my adult children, and they see a different mom than the one I hope to be. But one of my greatest regrets is not taking lessons from my own life, and praying specifically for those areas in the lives of my children. Years after the fact, I found out that my own kids went through teasing and heartache when they were younger. Heartache that they never told me about. That knowledge brings the tears. My heart hurts deeply for the little souls they once were. I thought we talked about everything. But then I realized, I never told my own mom about the comments that were made about me when I was younger. I kept them to myself and cried silently in bed at night. I prayed about so many things for my children, but there were so many other things I could have been praying about. My heart is burdened today to encourage mamas with children of all ages to get down on your knees and go to the throne of God for your kids. They are fighting battles from day 1 that we may never know about. I’m so thankful that as I have gotten older I’ve realized this, and as I look back at the struggles I had and the battles I fought, I can now pray specifically for my children in those areas. But their childhood is past. I can’t go back and change it. And even though they were just kids, the memories of all the bad still hold on. Satan has a way of doing that to us. And it discourages and defeats and depresses. So today, I am even more determined to bathe my kids in prayer. I can’t change the past but Jesus can change their future. He can change their outlook. He can give them victory. I don’t think parents can ever pray too much for their children, it is so incredibly important. Prayer is like breathing life into them. But I also remember those early stages of motherhood. When they’re little, sometimes it’s hard to see past the “now” into the future. We pray for things that are relevant. We pray for their salvation or their hearts to remain pure, we pray for their attitudes or their obedience. We pray for their personalities and characteristics, but too often we forget to pray for their minds. Their thought life. We forget to pray for their battles. Perhaps because we only see them as kids, and what might feel like a battle to them seems small and insignificant to us. Because we forget the battles we fought. The battles in our mind that still remain. Don’t forget mom. What is going on in their life right now will remain with them forever. Your prayers can change their futures. Prayers for protection against things that are said and done. Prayers that our own words and actions will uplift and encourage them. Prayers that they will always know how much they are loved by us, but more importantly by God. Prayers that their futures won’t be determined by the wrongful actions of others. Prayers that they will always come to you and share their hearts. Prayers that they will know, they can always go to you and ask for prayer. Because they know you’re a praying mom. Pray specifically mama. Talk to them about the battles you fought as a child. Ask your children questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to pray for your them. Don’t spend more time worrying about their circumstances than you spend on your knees talking to God on their behalf. Don’t look back and regret the fact that you missed the battles they were fighting, because they were literally fighting for their future. Cover that future in prayer. So many negative thoughts can be traced back to a childhood memory. Don’t allow Satan to have that victory over your kids. It’s built into a mama’s DNA to protect her children, but too often in the early years we focus so much on their physical well being and protection that we neglect to pray for the thoughts their futures will hold. You fight on your knees for them from the moment you find out you are going to be a mama. Day 1. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. They’re only kids, but they are your kids. Make sure they know they have a praying mama. There is no greater gift you can give your child. SCRIPTURE READING: Philippians 4:6,8 Deuteronomy 31:6 Matthew 22:37 I Peter 5:7&8 Romans 8:31-35,37-39, 12:2 Psalm 34:17-20, 71:18, 78:4,6&7, 94:19, 127:1-3, 147:3 2 Corinthians 10:5 Hebrews 4:12 Isaiah 26:3, 41:10, 54:13&17 Proverbs 3:5-6, 4:23 Ephesians 6:17 When my youngest daughter was only 5, we took our family swimming. Our beach is ideal for young families. You have to walk at least a hundred feet before the water gets deep enough to actually swim. It’s perfect for young ones to splash and play in.
On this particular day, Mike and I went out a little deeper as our kids played near the shore. Within a split second our lives could have drastically changed. We looked over to see our youngest bobbing up and down right next to the shoreline, an area where the depth of water doesn’t even reach my knees. How could this be? She was drowning. We never moved so quickly. Praise God, we got to her in time. Somehow right next to the shoreline there was a large hole that she had waded into. Later that night, after we were all in bed she came down to our bedroom and told us that if she had died she knew she would’ve gone to hell and she wanted to ask Jesus to save her right then. And we knew she knew. Even at such a young age, she understood sin. She understood she needed Jesus. There was no prompting. It was of her own free will. There are so many beautiful moments when you’re a mom, but there are also a lot of hard aspects too. From the moment they are born, if your child has been raised going to church and hearing the gospel, I think one of the hardest aspects for parents is concern for their child’s soul. I didn’t grow up knowing Christ. I grew up with religion and rules. I didn’t have an intimate relationship with Jesus until I was 12. It was different for my children. They grew up hearing about Jesus, their beautiful Savior, from day one. It was talked about often. And that’s where it gets hard. As a parent, you don’t want your child to make a decision just to please mom and dad; nor do you want them to make a decision because it’s what they’re taught, thinking it’s just what they’re supposed to do. You want their repentance and salvation to come out of a genuine heart that understands they’re a sinner that needs a Savior. Every child is different. Some just seem to grasp that at an early age and others don’t get it for a long time. And that’s when the worry sets in. Mamas KNOW when they’re child understands sin. It comes naturally to them (and us 😉). There’s no mistaking it. And then you begin to wonder, what if something happens to my child and they don’t know Jesus?? I also understand that heaven can be so alluring to a child. I mean, what kid wants to go to hell? That’s incredibly scary. At such a tender age of 5, I’m sure that was a scary thought for my daughter. There’s so many things young children don’t quite grasp when they’re little, but with age comes growth. Here’s the thing about God and His promises to us~ whether you are 5 or 95, you will always be growing in your walk with the Lord. Not once does He tell us that we have to understand the weight of every single thing the Bible teaches before we can accept His free gift of salvation. God simply tells us to have the faith of a child. Matthew 18:3-4, 2 Peter 3:9 So what is a parent or grandparent supposed to do? I’m not claiming to be an expert, far from it. But here are some things to keep in mind through your parenting journey as you introduce your children to Jesus. I pray that they can be an encouragement to you. 1. Pray for your children without ceasing. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 2. Talk about Jesus and His gift to us often. Ephesians 2:8, John 21:25 3. Make sure they understand that this isn’t religion, this is Jesus you are talking about. Their Father, their Savior and their very best Friend. 2 Corinthians 1:3, Philippians 3:10 4. I cannot stress this enough~ make Jesus real to your children!! Don’t just introduce them to your “way of life”, introduce them to the God of the Bible. The same Jesus who has radically changed your life. Make Him real to them by example. Titus 3:4-8 5. Don’t try to allure them with a “free ticket to heaven” speech. Salvation is so much more than that. Salvation is Jesus. Hebrews 2:9 6. Don’t use fear as a tactic for conversion. Jesus death on the cross had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with love. There is no fear in love. I John 4:18 7. Don’t pressure your child to make a decision or force them to say some “magic words” that they hope will get them into heaven. 8. Help them to understand that it isn’t the words they say as they pray, it’s a repentant heart that understands their sin and need of saving. Acts 3:19 9. Understand what it means in your own life to have the faith of a child, and then do just that. Have faith as a child. Don’t make salvation complicated in your mind, or in theirs. Believe what Jesus says in His word, that if we confess and we believe~ we will be saved. It’s as simple as that. Don’t add to it or make it hard. I John 1:9, Romans 10:9-10 10. And then pray some more. As a mama and grandma, you can never, ever pray too much for your children and grandchildren. Only God knows our hearts. Only God knows your child’s heart. Don’t try to work out their salvation for them. As hard as it is not to intervene and worry and nag, remember all power and mercy, love and forgiveness comes only from God. And always remember, God’s love for your children and His care for their souls is infinitely greater than your own. You do your part in being that example to your children and leave the rest with Him. Ephesians 3:16-21 I’m not sure what sparked the thought, but the other day it hit me that I may not be here to see my grandchildren get married and have children of their own. A sadness swept over me. My love for them is so strong. I have this immense desire to protect them and pray for them and be a part of their moments, good and bad. To rejoice with them and cheer them on. But this may not be my reality, and my emotions got the best of me. It’s probably silly, but the tears came.
I know Mother’s Day is past and the celebrations are over, but this mom and grandma still has so much on her heart to share. I probably always will. As I was reading all the celebratory quotes, one stuck with me and I’ve been pondering it ever since~ “Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.” Wow! That stopped me in my tracks. So mama, what message are we sending to the future? This thought went deep for me. There are just SO MANY!! To be honest, I wanted to be lazy and write a fluff piece for today but God gave me a nudge, just like He always does. It’s crazy how often I will read the daily devotional sent to my inbox and somehow my Scripture app just “happens” to be on the exact same Bible chapter that day. Today was such a case and as I worried about my children and my grandchildren’s futures, God literally spoke to me through His words. Words I would like to share with you today. I hope they encourage you like they did me. Psalms 90-94. Psalm 90:1&2~ Continually remind yourself that GOD is our dwelling place. Not this world, not our homes~ but God. He has been from generation to generation and know matter what the future holds, He will be from everlasting to everlasting. Psalm 90:12-17~ With this in mind, let these words be our prayer as we look to the future of our children and grandchildren~ God: *TEACH us to number our days and in the doing, gain wisdom. (Each day is another opportunity to mold our children and grandchildren. Don’t take it for granted and don’t squander it.) 90:12 *SATISFY us with your STEADFAST (loyal, unwavering) love. (This is the heartbeat of our joy and gladness.) 90:14 *MAKE us glad ALL our days. (Not just the good days, but the bad days too. Our emotions teach our children just as much as our words.) 90:15 *OPEN our eyes to see your works and show your power to our children. (We take so much for granted. God is continually blessing us and we need eyes to see and in turn, share that with the next generation.) 90:16 *ESTABLISH the work of our hands. (This should be our daily prayer. When God is the author of every single thing we do, He is glorified and His love shines from us to others. Our children will carry this prayer with them into the future, by witnessing it in our lives on a daily basis.) 90:17 Psalm 91:1-16~ *When we dwell in God’s presence we are protected under His shadow. He is our refuge and fortress and we can trust Him with everything. 91:1-2 In the trusting we will not fear the present or the future of our children and grandchildren, because we made God our dwelling place and held fast to Him in love. He will protect, rescue and satisfy us. No matter where we are, no matter where our children are, there is so much comfort in knowing that when we have God, we are always home. 91:3-16 Psalm 93:1-2~ And when we realize ALL of this, we will give thanks to God. We will sing praises. We will talk about His steadfast love and faithfulness morning and evening because we will realize He alone makes us glad and joyful and He alone (not us) will make our children and grandchildren glad and joyful. Psalm 93:3-5, 94:14&15~ As the floods of this present world roar against us and we fear the future for our children and grandchildren, we can KNOW that God is mightier and that **“The things that we’re afraid of are afraid of God!” We can trust Him. He will never forsake us or abandon us. Psalm 94:17-19~ If we didn’t have these promises we would be utterly distraught, but we have an entire book of God’s promises to cling to. His steadfast love holds us up. When the cares of our heart and the worries for our children’s futures are many, God’s consolations will cheer us. When we are no longer on this earth to cheer our children and grandchildren on, His consolations will continue to do so. Psalm 94:22~ He is our rock. He is our stronghold and He will forever be our children and our children’s children’s rock and stronghold. From everlasting to everlasting. I know this was long, and if you stuck with me to the end I hope it encouraged you. Sometimes mamas just need a reminder that ultimately we are not the ones to determine the happiness in our children’s future. We want to be their rock and fortress, we want to bring them joy and happiness and we can, but our love could never compare to the steadfast love God has for them and the best way to show them that is by example. An example we will leave with them long after we’re gone. **The Things That I’m Afraid Of Josh Wilson When was it the last?
The very last time your child crawled up into your lap to snuggle? The last time they reached for your hand? The last time you helped them get dressed? The last time they wanted to be with you, just to be with you? To talk about everything and nothing all at once? To lay their head on your shoulder or have you kiss their hurts away? I don’t think any of us mamas know when the last time will be, and then we realize that somehow at some point it was the last time, but our days transitioned into months and years and we missed it. Day by day everything seemed to be the same, until suddenly it wasn’t. We didn’t soak it in, because we thought we had more time. I watched my daughter last Sunday morning as she taught her boys a Sunday school lesson. I watched their faces light up with smiles when she was silly. I watched their wide little eyes as they listened intently to everything she said. In that moment, she was the most important person in their little worlds. I wanted to make her see it, right then. I wanted her to soak it all in. The beauty of this moment with her little men. Somehow I think she missed it. Not purposely, not because she’s a bad mother (she’s an amazing mother), but because this is her “everyday”. And it made me think of all the “everydays” that I took for granted. The years will pass and you will miss it mama. Through the teenage years, through the young adult years… you will miss those smiles, the snuggles, the talks and the kisses. Soak it in. Soak it all in. Don’t miss the beauty of your everyday. Purpose in your heart to truly cherish all the little things your days hold. Thank God for the blessings of raising our next generation before you lay your head down to sleep~ because the older they get, the less they will want to do all the everyday things. One day your little men will be grown men, and you will remember the days when they reached for your hand. You will wonder where the time went. Life will go on if the dishes aren’t washed, if the beds aren’t made, if the toys aren’t cleaned up. The same tasks will be there tomorrow, but today might be the last of the snuggles and kisses. God has given mamas the unique gift of turning ordinary tasks into beautiful memories. Memories made in the “everydays”. Baking treats together in the kitchen, forts made out of blankets and pillows in the bedroom, Lego villages and Barbie houses in the living room. Snuggles with mama on the couch, and kisses and prayers in the bedroom at night. Your babies will grow up. You will be so proud of them. You will love every phase of their lives. Your “everydays”will become different with each passing year. Oh, how you will realize these beautiful moments are a sweet gift God gives every day, moments you won’t take for granted because you now realize how quickly time passes. But you will also remember… Today is so important. So stop what you’re doing. Sit down on the couch with your child and just listen. Don’t think about all the tasks, truly listen. Because these are the “everydays”that dreams are made of. Precious everyday moments talking about everything and nothing all at once.
4/14/2023
My Baby Is Having A BabyMy baby is having her first baby.
There’s such a distinction between your oldest baby’s first pregnancy and your last baby’s first pregnancy. Each carries a myriad of emotions specific to them. As with all your children, so many unique memories are wrapped up in your last. I remember her little face. I recall listening to her babble as a toddler, smiling and wondering what it would be like to have a conversation with her as an adult someday. I remember crying on her first day of kindergarten and then I blinked, and I was sobbing on her last day of high school. Each step marking the end of a chapter full of “firsts”, but also “lasts”. Moving and college hundreds of miles from home, marriage and her first house. And now a baby. My last baby is having a baby. She loved to stay home with her dad and I more than going out with her friends. She went to bed before it was even dark sometimes. She wasn’t one to play with baby dolls and Barbies but preferred snakes, mice, lizards and turtles. She is beautiful and unique and she fell in love with a man who understands her crazy better than anyone else. And this July, my baby will have a baby. I honestly tear up at the thought. It is almost too hard to wrap my mind around. Even though I had already had all four of my children by the time I was her age, in my eyes and heart she’s still my baby. Time flies by so fast, yet never so fast that it erases the fact that they will always be your babies. Sometimes I want to go back just for a moment. I want to look into her little face. I want to hear her baby babble and hold her close to my heart as I sing soft lullabies to her. But then I would miss out on all the beautiful moments in between, especially living the reality of experiencing all the happy, sad or silly adult conversations with one of my best friends. That’s what our children become as adults, our best friends. Whatever firsts you are going through today with your own baby~their first kindergarten graduation or their high school graduation. Your baby leaving for college in a few short months or saying “I do”, or your baby having her own baby~ each comes wrapped with emotions that are almost too hard to contain. Don’t feel bad for the tears mama. Embrace them. Take each wrapped up moment and tuck it away in your heart and every now and then, open it up and remember. Not with sadness or longing, but with joy at how God has blessed you with such a beautiful gift. The gift of being a mama to some amazing children. And then with equal joy, look ahead to the gifts that are to come. Gifts upon gifts upon gifts yet to open. My baby is having a baby. A double portion of God’s blessing. My daughter will soon experience that joy at receiving such a gift from the Lord. The gift called motherhood. She will truly understand how deeply she is loved when she looks upon the little face of her own sweet baby for the first time. And that in turn will become a bond that we both will share. The mama tears will flow, but they won’t always be sad. There’s so much excitement and “firsts” still ahead and when you’re a mama~ you get to open that gift every moment of every day. My baby is having a baby.
4/7/2023
Don’t Lose HopeCan you imagine being the very first person that got to walk into Paradise with Jesus immediately after His crucifixion? I weep at the thought. I can almost picture it, the two of them entering Heaven’s glory. The thief weeping and laughing as Jesus smiles and hugs him. What hope this story gives to us all! A hope of redemption. A hope of new life when all seems lost.
Hope has been the theme of my story since I started this blog. Today I am here to remind you~ Don’t give up hope. Not on a child who has gone astray, not on a loved one who you’ve prayed desperately for, and not on yourself. There are so many lessons from the story of the thief on the cross. The account is only mentioned in one gospel, but the message has a huge impact. The thief did nothing to deserve forgiveness. The thief did nothing to merit him walking into eternal paradise with Jesus. He simply believed. As the scene unfolds, I can see Mary the mother of Jesus weeping at the foot of the cross, but I also wonder about the mother of the thief. Was she there as well? Was she weeping for her son? Was his wife there, or perhaps his sister? Prayers seemed unanswered for the son, the husband, the brother. There had been no repentance. He was being crucified. All seemed lost. This was the end. But it wasn’t. With his last breath he saw his sinfulness. He understood Who Jesus truly was and He understood that only Jesus, the Son of God could forgive his trespasses and take him to heaven. Hope was not lost. Jesus did not give up on that thief. Through horrifying agony and pain, He loved unconditionally. He gave mercy and grace. He forgave. As He took upon Himself the sins of all mankind, the agony and pain He endured were for that thief. They were for your son or daughter, and for your spouse. They were for your brother or sister and they were for you. Whatever situation you find yourself in, keep bringing it to Jesus. Your health. Your marriage. Your spouse. Your children. Your finances. Your past, your present or your future. There is always hope at the foot of the cross. Walk into Easter simply believing that because of Jesus there is hope with every breath you take. Walk into Easter holding on to that hope. Walk into Easter holding on to the thief’s redemptive story. Walk into Easter holding on to Jesus, the Son of God Who gave Himself for you. SCRIPTURE READING: I John 5:13-15 Luke 23:39-43 Psalm 16:8-9, 31:24, 71:14, 112:6-7 Romans 8:37, 12:12, 15:13 I Corinthians 13:7 Philippians 1:6, 4:6 Isaiah 41:10 2 Peter 3:8-9 Luke 1:37 Proverbs 3:5-6 Hebrews 12:2-3 Ephesians 6:10 Titus 2:13 I could hear her little voice as they entered the bathroom, and I chuckled to myself. “It’s messy in here mommy!” She continued to babble about her little brother, the stall, the toilet paper, and the changing table. As I washed my hands I think I heard the words “don’t touch that” a dozen times.
I remember those days, but not with disdain. With longing. In that moment in the Meijer bathroom, my heart had an incredibly deep, unexplainable yearning for one more moment like that. One more moment just to hear my daughter’s childhood voice talking to me about everything her little mind could think of. I don’t know why there are times that that longing grabs a hold of my heart so fiercely. Some days I miss it all so much. The giggles upstairs and the reprimands to “go to sleep!!” The toys all over the house. The forts built under the piano. The laundry EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. The constant “I’m hungry”. All the talks. The fun conversations, but also the hard ones. The “talks” about changing bodies and crushes and heart breaks. Talks about mean kids at school, but the reassurance of the forever love of mom and dad. And Jesus. A deep love from Jesus that is not fickle like the friendships of adolescents. Yes, some days I yearn for it all. I yearn to hear my little girl babbling in the bathroom as I try to change her sister’s diaper. Maybe it’s the remembrance of unconditional love looking up at me through the wide eyes of naive innocence. Mommy could fix everything and do no wrong. Or, maybe it’s because at times~as hard as motherhood seemed to me back then~I can now look back and realize that in those moments, life for my children was so much easier. I long to fix everything for my adult children just by saying the words “I love you” and with a simple smile and a hug, watch their life become beautiful again. When our children were little they could bounce back and in a moment, life goes back to being care free. But the older our children get and the more time that passes, the more mom realizes that at times life can be very cruel for the ones we love more than anything in this world. And that’s when the hard truly hits. So today I remind myself of the talks. The talks about the love of mom and dad, but more importantly of Jesus. Today I want to remind my adult children of that love. The incredible, deep love I have for them, but more than anything~Jesus. A friend Who sticks closer than a brother, even closer than mom and dad. Jesus, Who literally loves with His everything. Jesus, Whose heart yearns for carefree moments for my children even more than my own heart yearns for it. That’s a fierce yearning. That’s a love deeper than I can imagine. As much as I long to hear that babbling again, Jesus wants to hear it from our children too. He wants to hear ALL the babbling. He wants to hear our children talk to Him about every single thing their minds can think of. And He wants to hear it from me as well. He wants me to tell Him all about it. So today, I did. Today I babbled on and on with Jesus. I told Him all about it. I cried. I laughed. I asked silly questions. And in that moment, just like a child who feels deeply loved~ Life became carefree again. SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 37:25, 42:4-5&11, 51:12, 62:8, 142:1-2, Isaiah 49:15, 66:13 Philippians 4:6-8 John 8:36 Galatians 5:1
3/3/2023
God Never Gives Up On His KidsMy daughter Andrea has always loved fairytales. She was in the 9th grade when the words “Once Upon A Time” began her own fairytale journey.
I watched her the other night. I had come to babysit. It was a rare and beautiful moment. The sun was shining, so she said she wanted to take advantage of the sunshine and walk to church. I stood in the doorway of the very home she used to dream about owning one day. She’s 34 years old, but somehow I thought I could protect her if I just made sure she made it to church ok. Our home and church are visible from her front door. The home she grew up in. And then I watched her husband. He was giving instructions to the boys and running a bit behind, so he decided to take the car. He slowly drove up to her as she walked. I could see her laughing. Her hand rested on his open window as his car crept along side her the rest of the way. In that moment my mind was transported back 20 years to that 9th grade girl and her crush, as she walked home from school and he pulled up along side her in his royal blue Ford Escort ZX2. He had cut off the tail pipe to replace it with a “cooler” tip, and the car had a sticker on it that said “Xtreme Racing”. To top it off, he installed blue lights, lights that caused our local police to pull him over (on more than one occasion). Many rules were enforced during her high school years. To be honest, I was scared. I had all these dreams for her future, and I knew how quickly one bad decision could change the course of her entire life. I was scared because I didn’t put enough faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the power of Jesus and prayer. In the sovereignty and providence of God. That 9th grade crush became her Knight in shining armor. A man I am so proud of. God has worked miracles in his life. A life once headed in the wrong direction. A heart changed by the gift of Jesus’ death on the cross and His complete grace, forgiveness and transformation. Mamas, this mama never prayed so hard. But my daughter’s fairy tale wasn’t a result of me, it was a result of Jesus. Too often parents try to control every aspect of their child’s life~ “Stay close to home when you go to college. Don’t move too far away. Marry a man that will keep you financially secure, or a women that doesn’t pose a threat to mama.”~ Don’t get me wrong, parents should have a say in every area of their child’s life, and in turn their children should honor and respect them. What I am trying to say is, yes we as parents have a tremendous responsibility and influence on our children, but we are not God. We are not the Holy Spirit, and there will come a time that we need to hand those children over to God and trust that He knows what is best for them. Mike Francavilla was best for my Andrea. Joey was best for my Jessica, Shannon was best for my Michael and Josh was best for my Kat. And the older I get, and the more I observe, and the more I relinquish my desire to control their futures and hand that over to God, the more I see fairytales unfold in their lives. Fairytales that only God could write. Fairytales with God’s “Happily Ever After” written all over them. I realize this isn’t always the case~ When it seems like unwise decisions have been made and our children’s path appears to be going in the wrong direction, remember that God never gives up on His kids, or ours. I know you might be scared mama, but I also know that no matter what situation your child is in, God can rewrite their story. As a mother I will always have a strong desire to protect my babies, but the more time that passes, the more I realize that the best way I can protect them is to give them to God. Every single day. Continually encourage them in His word. Love them with my everything and never, ever stop praying for them… I closed the front door and smiled down at her youngest as he gazed up at me. Tears of joy filled my eyes. I could write a book about her fairytale life and the hand of God upon it. As much as she realizes this now, one day she will realize it so much more as she watches God pen the words to her own children’s fairytales. Today I will savor this chapter and pray for the chapters ahead. The generations and books yet to be written with God’s “Happily Ever After” written all over them. “This is the LORD's doing; It is marvellous in our eyes.” Psalm 118:23 SCRIPTURE READING: Romans 8:27-28, 31-32 I Thessalonians 5:16-18 Philippians 1:6, 4:5-7 Proverbs 3:5-6 Matthew 19:26 Mark 10:27 Luke 18:27 James 5:16b Hebrews 13:5b I Corinthians 5:17 Ezekiel 36:26
12/2/2022
A Bit Of JollyHave you ever prayed for your children, but deep down felt like it would take a literal miracle for it to be answered?
Sadly, I have… I had a dear friend who used to remind me continually of who Jesus is. Not who Jesus was, but who He is~ the same yesterday, today and forever. The same Jesus who worked wondrous miracles throughout the Bible is the same Jesus working miracles in my life today. My friend went home to heaven one week before my dad. He was such an encourager. From the day we met him until the day he went home to be with Jesus, he continually lifted my heart when it was down. His words were like presents and hugs wrapped into one. He was always jolly, and I think of him so often. Today I recall such a day of encouragement. You see, a mother’s prayer has been answered and my friend encouraged me through the waiting. If you have or had teenage children (or children in general), you will understand. Although it may seem trivial compared to the heartache some are facing today, it can still break a mama’s heart when her daughter’s fight continually and you don’t see any hope at the end of the tunnel. You have visions of them hating each other the rest of their lives. Every holiday get together from now until infinity will be riddled with strife or empty seats because they refuse to celebrate together. Yes, it was that bad. For a few years, I think I cried over my bible and coffee every morning after they left for school. And then one day a miracle slipped in. It was so subtle and although they are completely different personalities, my girls became best friends. And I am in awe. I had almost given up on that prayer. A prayer I prayed for almost 20 years. And when I stood back and watched it unfold, I thought about the words of my friend as he told me stories of his own two girls. How he encouraged me continually, and how his smile lit up his face as he spoke of his daughter’s sweet friendship now. Today, I am on a Christmas shopping trip with my own daughters. Not just the two I spoke of, but my youngest and my daughter in law as well. It has become a Christmas tradition. Our “girls” trip. We get a hotel. We shop, we eat, we drink lots of coffee, we shop some more, we laugh and maybe cry, we pray, we blast Christmas music… and this mama rejoices. My God is so good. Today I want to encourage you to not give up on the heart of your mama prayers. Today I want to encourage you to be an encourager. Everyone needs a bit of jolly in their lives. You can give them that gift. I’m so thankful for my friend and I’ll never forget his words to me. Today as I sit and listen to my girls laughter in the other room, I smile through the tears and I know my friend is smiling in heaven right along with me. With a twinkle in his eye I can hear him say~ I told you Charisse. God can do anything. Scripture Reading: Hebrews 13:8 Hebrews 10:24-25 Romans 1:11-12, 8:26, 15:2, 5 I Thessalonians 5:11, 17 2 Corinthians 1:5 Galatians 6:2 Philippians 4:6 Luke 11:9 John 15:7 Mark 11:24 Jeremiah 33:3 Psalm 27:13-14, 28:7, 34:17
10/14/2022
I Am A WomanWhat is a woman?
I am a woman. When I was a little girl, I never would have imagined that the use of that phrase could possibly cause controversy. I am a woman. I am incredibly thankful I am a woman. Not because I am better than a man. Not because I want to shove that sentence in someone’s face. I am thankful because that is who God made me to be~ and I embrace it. Through various movements of the last century, women have been inundated with two requisites. The first~Women are powerful. The second~Just being a woman isn’t enough. We need to “be more” and “do more” so that we can prove we “are more”. The world is constantly screaming “more” in the face of femininity. The concept contradicts itself. I have nothing to prove. I am a woman. Femininity has gone through all the stages. From the genuine love of being a homemaker to~ “I am equal to and even better than man”, to “there is no such thing as a woman”. Wives, mothers and homemakers have been made to feel less than, looked down upon and even ignorant. Definitely not powerful. This morning as I prayed, my own mother came to mind. I pictured her doing “all the things”. Her arm halfway in a turkey on Thanksgiving morning. The ironing board out every Tuesday and the vacuum and mop every Friday. The home cooked meals, the date nights with my dad, the stories read to me before I went to bed each night. She loved every minute of it. I loved every minute of it. And I wept. Not because my mom was weak, brainwashed by society at the time, or even ignorant~ But because my mom was powerful. She gave me the precious gift of a childhood that kids only dream of. She instilled in me a deep gratitude and love of everyday life, the feeling of comfort, security and love. The desire to pass that on to everyone I meet. She had an impact on my life in a thousand different ways. An impact that enables me to say today~ I am blessed to be a woman. I am blessed to be a wife. I am blessed to be a mother. Over and over in scripture God gives us examples of powerful women. Today I read about two. One was a judge. One was a housewife. God used BOTH for His glory. His power was evident in the soft hand of a woman. Woman and man. Male and female. I am a woman. Any earthly accomplishments or possessions I have at the end of this life will only be wood hay and stubble. I cannot take my accomplishments and possessions with me when I die. But oh the power in spreading light through darkness, kindness instead of hatred, finding joy in every moment, loving your husband and raising little souls for God’s kingdom. Little souls that will impact the world for a future we may never see. Souls that can share the light of Jesus. A light that this dark world desperately needs. There is power in that. It doesn’t come from the reserve of an accomplished female who checks off all the boxes this world deems necessary to claim the pronoun “she” today. The power comes from Christ within us. And with that power we can change the world. I am a woman. If I choose, I will dance around the house in my skirts and high heels. I will cook meals and bake goodies with my grandchildren. I will clean my home and be thankful for the million little things God blesses me with on a daily basis. I will love on my husband. I will minister to other women, write blog posts, share God’s word, comfort and love in only a way a woman can do. I will be powerful and I will pass that power of Christ on to the next generation. I will embrace womanhood and shout it from the rooftops, with absolutely no shame. I don’t have to choose my pronoun because God has chosen it for me from the beginning of time. I am a woman, And I praise God for it. SCRIPTURE READING: John 15:16 Jeremiah 1:5 Romans 8:4 Psalms 139:13-18 Judges 4
9/23/2022
Taste And SeeWe took our grandsons to Dairy Queen last Sunday evening. My two older grandsons asked if they could share a banana split. I wasn’t sure they understood how large a banana split was, but they assured me they knew, and it wouldn’t be a problem.
They are 9 and 6. We were in the drive through. Our plan was to go around the corner to our break wall and watch the sun set over the water as we ate our treats. I explained to Gabe (the younger of the two) that while we were still in the car I was going to have Ethan hold the sundae until they were able to sit together on the bench to share. I expected a bit of arguing or even the very familiar words “that’s not fair”. To my complete surprise, neither were spoken. Gabe turned to Ethan and in the sweetest, most precious and sincere voice he asked~ ”Could I just look at it Ethan?” That right there melted my heart. His sweet sincerity brought tears to my eyes. I often read devotionals written for moms of young children on how to cope with the overwhelming moments. I remember those moments. I understand. The response of older moms is almost always an encouraging word to cherish that time because it’s over so quickly. But I rarely read about the “hard” of being a mom of adults~ When your adult children have walked away from God. When your adult children are all fighting. When your children are going through horrendous heartache. When their faith is being tried and their prayers aren’t being answered. When your children are all struggling in different areas and pouring their hearts out to you, but not wanting the other siblings to know. When your children don’t want you in their life anymore. Gone are the days that you can lovingly remind them to get back on God’s path when they have misbehaved~ and through tears they agree. Gone are the days when you can send them all to their rooms for fighting, and suddenly they’re giggling and playing like it never happened. Gone are the days that you can rock them as they snuggle in your arms and you tell them everything will be ok, and they believe you. Gone are the days when you are their everything. You pray and you worry and you wonder. How did things change so quickly? And you watch as each day passes. You find yourself wondering if things will ever be ok. And you want to hold those beautiful days again. The days you believed were overwhelming at the time. You understand now why older moms always told you to cherish that time. And then one day things do change, but not in the way you expected. Through his tears of heartache you hear your son telling you~ “everything is going to be okay mom”, because he truly believes that his unanswered prayers are “for his good and God’s glory”. And you are in awe, because your own heart saw the hurt he was experiencing. Your own heart could not see the good. His sweet sincerity brings tears to your own eyes. Not only has God allowed you to just look at His goodness and beauty. He has allowed you to taste it. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalm 34:8 Just moments after my grandsons started in on their banana split, I heard them exclaim~this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted” Not once, not twice, but the entire time they ate until the bowl was completely empty. Oh how often we as moms can ask God if He would just allow us to look and see some semblance of an answer to our prayers for our children and their future. Could we just look and see and know everything will be ok? And then, sometimes without us even realizing, He does. He shows us. We not only look upon it, but we get to taste of His beauty. Some days a taste of Gods goodness might be right around the corner. Other days it might feel like you’ve been looking at the truth of His words about your children, but have yet to taste of it. And the road seems long. When it comes to your adult children, you might find yourself overwhelmed, heartbroken or even arguing with God. You might find yourself crying that it isn’t fair. This wasn’t your dream as you held that child so close to your heart and rocked them to sleep. But you can still choose to believe in the goodness God has to offer, even though you have yet to taste it. You can choose to open His word and partake in His promises. To trust in a beautiful future ahead and truly believe that you will one day say~ this is the best thing ever. As you whisper through tears~ “can I just look at it God?” He hears the sincere prayers that come from your heart. Taste and see ❤️ SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:18, 28 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, Neither have entered into the heart of man, The things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 “casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, When my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.” Psalm 61:2, 5 “I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: And I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.” Psalm 52:9 “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. O taste and see that the LORD is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, And delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: But the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Psalm 34:4, 6, 8, 17-19 “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” Psalm 90:17
5/13/2022
I Asked My Mother In Law For AdviceAs I was praying about what I could post for Mother’s Day last week, part of me was at a loss. I thought back to my early years of motherhood~ All the helpless moments. The weary days and the long nights. And all the amazing moments filled with joy and laughter. The longing in a Grandma’s heart to go back and do it better, or just to go back and hold them and rock them one more time. There were times my husband and I thought we had it all figured out, but as I look back now, I realize we didn’t know a thing. With age comes wisdom. The wisdom in admitting that even at this age~I don’t know a thing. That knowledge has my heart searching for answers, and for wisdom from those who have been where I am even now. And so, I asked my Mother In Law if she could impart wisdom to young moms, and older moms, and all the moms in between. I have always viewed my Mother In Law as the “All Knowing Fountain of Wisdom”, so her response surprised me. Her words were: “I appreciate that you feel that my advice has the potential to be of benefit to anyone, but I fear you may be seeing me through eyes of love.” And so, perhaps I did glean a little age old wisdom in my acknowledgment that~ the older we get, the more we feel we aren’t really wise at all. And yet, her words brought truth to my heart that I wanted to share with all ladies, whether you are a mom or not. Here are her words: 1. “Marry the right man. When dealing with moms, they have already made that decision for better or worse. The philosophy of “it takes a village” may be popular, but it ideally takes a couple who are willing to devote themselves to raising responsible human beings who know and love God. People who can take care of themselves and others.” (The verdict is still out on whether or not she thinks I chose wisely. She keeps reminding me~”I warned you”… 😂) 2. “Children don’t belong to us. If we do it right they become independent and we feel abandoned until we realize we gave them the tools that made it possible.” 3. Seek backup and be the backup. My mother in law told me that she had “total backup. Husband, parents, in-laws, sisters, all in harmony with their beliefs. Very few people are so blessed.” So often I hear parents sharing hardships on their journey of child rearing, and sadly I also hear the response~’it was your choice to have kids.’ Raising godly children who love the Lord and want to serve Him is probably the hardest yet most important task a mother can do. A task that ultimately brings great glory to God. Be the back up. Don’t demean that task with trivial comments. Just as you have hardships in your life, mom’s do too. Let’s strive to support them on their journey of motherhood and raising little ones who will one day be our next generation. As I was having my devotions this week, God brought something to my attention. Even Moses, the man who God spoke to directly, needed advice from his Father In Law. Moses could have responded to his Father In Law in a negative way. He could have said- ‘Don’t you realize who you are advising? The man who talks directly to God! Who do you think you are?’ But that wasn’t his response at all . He humbly accepted the advice given, and it helped him tremendously. God could have given that advice to Moses directly, but God chose to use Moses Father in Law to impart that wisdom. Ladies, we don’t have it all figured out. We never will until we get to glory, especially when it comes to this mom thing. Learn to seek wisdom from those who have traveled this journey before us. I’m so thankful I did. My Mother In Law may believe that I see her this way through eyes of love, but God has used her in mighty ways in my life, and for that I will forever be thankful. Marry the right man. Give your children to God. Seek backup. Be the backup. Four simple things, yet four things that can change your life and the lives of your children for eternity. Thank you Mom! I love you!
5/5/2022
It’s Okay To Be LittleMy Mom let me be little.
I knew I wanted to do the same for my own children. It was something I prayed about often~ not putting too much responsibility on the shoulders of my children, especially my oldest. It’s so easy to do, the more kids you have. I prayed I would allow her to laugh and be silly. To play longer. To imagine and dream. To be little. I watched other moms, and I remembered. My mom gave me that gift. She let me play with dolls until the sixth grade. She let me cry when I was hurting and hugged me when I was sad. She never told me to toughen up or to grow up. She let me be little. Perhaps others might think I was coddled and I’ll be the first to admit, I probably was at times. But more than anything, I am thankful. There are so many fine lines in the journey of motherhood. What if we’re doing it wrong? What if we’re coddling too much? Or not enough? What if we’re giving them too many responsibilities at too young an age? Are we babying them, or making them grow up too fast? Do we lose our patience when they cry too much? When they talk non stop in the middle of a terrible day, and we just want peace and quiet. Do we get irritated when they whine too much or ask for our help? Over and over and over? Don’t we do all the same things? Ask yourself that question. As an adult, do we feel the weight of responsibility? Do we cry when we’re hurt and whine when we’re irritated. Do we need a hug when we’re sad? We feel “all the things” as an adult, but our reactions are somehow justified because~ Doesn’t every mom know that motherhood is hard? Mama, sometimes life for your little one can be very hard too. Everything is big in their world. Big scary moments. Big hurting moments. Big happy moments and big moments filled with love. Do we find ourselves telling them to toughen up? Or grow up? All the heaviness of adulthood will come soon enough. Do we forget that they’ve only been on this earth for 2 years or 4 years? Even 10 years is a drop in the bucket when you are on this journey of motherhood~ because you blink and it’s over. The house is empty. Why am I thankful my mom let me be little? Because in that allowing, she taught me that I can’t always do it all alone. And that is okay. Sometimes I need help, and not only that~ I need love, and hugs, and reassurances. And that’s okay too. And in the teaching I have learned that even when my “adult people” may fail me in these areas~ my Heavenly Father never does. I can go to Him for anything. I can cry and whine with Him. I can be scared. I can laugh and I can talk non stop. I can ask Him for help. Over and over and over~ and He never gets tired of me asking. He never gets irritated or impatient. That’s what my mama taught me in allowing me to be little. Sometimes as adults life can be too big for us too, motherhood can be too big for us~but it’s never too big for God. When it gets hard and we feel all the “adult things”, we can go to Him in child like wonder and His love will be bigger than them all. It’s okay to be little with God. So here is some advice from a mother who is still learning. Pray for wisdom, every single day. Look for the ways you need your heavenly Daddy, and demonstrate that to your babies in how you act and react to them. Apologize often. Laugh with them, play with them, hug on them. But most of all~ Let your love be bigger than everything else in their life~ and let them be little.
4/29/2022
Mom’s Fear Of FailureHave you ever thought about who helped Adam and Eve raise their kids? I mean, let’s get real here. No Bible, no books, no TV, no church setting, social media or podcasts. Not even parents who had been through it before and could give advice, or babysitting services, or just a shoulder to cry on. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. Just Adam and Eve.
And God. How often do we forget about God in the mix. We run to all those other things on our journey of the perfection of parenthood, but often forget about the most important One we need to run to. Whether it’s questions about pregnancy, labor and delivery, terrible two’s or the horrible teen years. Whether it’s tears caused by an empty nest due to college or marriage, or tears due to a wayward child. We feel lost in the questions and uncertainties. We get fearful or fretful and we just want help. Somehow in the quest to be the best version of mom we can be, we forget to go to God first and we run to those who can say~ “Been there, done that.” Do you realize God is the ultimate parent that can say “Been there, done that”? Look at EVERYTHING He has gone through with His children. 2 Peter 1:3-4 You want to know something else we often overlook? Despite having complete, unfiltered access to God and all His wisdom, despite not being influenced by the distractions of this present world~somehow Eve’s first born was still messed up. And mama. That’s not on Eve. And it’s not on you. It’s a result of sin. The reality of that can leave a mama feeling pretty helpless, if not for the fact of one thing. God is still in control. You might believe you have everything under control because you have read all the right books and listened to all the right podcasts and followed all the right people on social media. You might think you have it all under control because your child is in every church service, you pray with them and read the Bible to them daily. You do all the right things. But you are not in control. God is. Does He want us to do our best and strive to raise children who honor and glorify Him? Who love Him and truly know Him? Does He want our children to have a relationship with Him? Definitely. But He never wants you to forget that He is the One in control. Ephesians 1:11 Not a manipulative control, but a control with our ultimate good in mind. A control spawned from love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, comfort and peace. Sin is real. It’s hard and it’s scary and it’s strong. Especially when it involves our children. But God is stronger. He knew your child before the foundation of the world was ever laid. Before sin had ever cursed it. Before Eve’s eldest ever messed up. And all along He has had a plan for your children. Ephesians 1:4-6 God’s ultimate plan is the salvation of all mankind. He can use your children for His glory and that very purpose. 2 Peter 3:8-9 The irony in the story of Eve’s firstborn is that he had the wrong heart attitude. He wanted to do things his way. He wanted to be in control of what he gave to God. That’s a powerful lesson to us as moms, because we are still doing that today. The best thing we can do is to let go of that grasp of control we have on our children and hand them over to God. It might seem like a risk we aren’t willing to take. Our children are our everything. But God is so much more. And sometimes as parents, that’s a place we aren’t willing to go to. Love God more. Whatever stage of motherhood you are in right now, determine to go to God above all else. Pray over your children. Read scripture to them. Take them to church. Don’t get discouraged. Remind yourself daily that despite everything that could go wrong and might go wrong, despite the strong curse of sin~God is stronger and His promises to us will never fail. Psalm 73:26 One of the sweetest promises we can cling to as mamas is this~All things work together for the good to them that LOVE GOD. Romans 8:28 It’s not on you mama. Do your best. And in the moments you fear you have failed, remember~when we truly give our children to the Lord~ It’s all on God and He’s got this. Love those babies. Love God more.
3/26/2022
The Story Of JesusThere’s something magical about stories and stairways when you are a child.
My daughter recently sent a picture of my two granddaughters playing on their stairs. What is it about stairs that are so intriguing when you’re little? That picture sparked a long ago memory in my mind of a story and illustration in a childhood book my mother used to read to me. A book that ignited my little imagination to the far away worlds I could travel or the little mama with her baby dolls that I could become~ all on those stairs. My own stairs hold many special memories, even as an adult. Today they lead me up to my own bedroom where grandchildren nap, or play dress up with my clothes. They lead me up to quiet mornings spent talking to my Savior. But before that they led me up to the reality of my little girl dreams. To bed time stories and talks about Jesus. To sweet goodnight kisses and childhood prayers. They led me to my children. When I think on it, there’s something magical with every step I take because it brings me right back to a faraway world of a little mama, and the book she read so long ago. A book that changed her outlook on a simple set of stairs. And I cannot help but think of another book~ God’s word~ and wonder how many mamas are taking the time to read that book to their own children. A book that can change their outlook for eternity. A book that can lead them and teach them of a not so far away world called Heaven where they can always have a home with their Father. I’m reminded of a mother who read the incredible story of Noah’s ark to her son. When she finished, her son innocently asked her a simple question~ “why weren’t there any children on the ark?” Her reply was heartbreaking ~ “Their parents didn’t make sure that they were.” That hit my own heart hard. Yes, spend time with your children. Play with them. Let their imaginations dream up far away lands and dreams come true, all while playing on stairways. Read to them to spark that imagination but don’t ever forget to read the most important book of all. God’s word. Make sure they know the greatest story of all. The story of Gods redeeming grace and love and the gift of forgiveness through his Son. The story of Jesus. One day I will go up those stairs for the last time. That day could be today, or many years down the road. I will leave my children and my grandchildren, because Jesus will be calling me home. He will smile and hug me and welcome me there. I want to make sure that I took every opportunity to tell them the story of Jesus and how to have a relationship with Him that is real. That when my hands let go of theirs, there will be no apprehension because I will know my Savior is holding them when I no longer can. Don’t wait to read God’s word to your children. Don’t wait to tell your children about your Savior. They are never too young, and they are never too old. Talk about Him every single day. Tell them the story of Jesus. Write on their hearts every word, Tell them the story most precious~ Sweetest that ever was heard. How often my stairs led me to my children. Our job as mamas is to lead those children to Christ.
2/11/2022
Stronger For ItFor a brief moment I questioned sharing it. This post about love… “to the one needing this tonight: there’s a man waiting to love you how God intended…” The societal screams from thousands of women echoed in my head. ~We are strong and confident and able. ~We can do anything a man can do. Continual shouts have been hurled at this generation~ ~We need to love ourselves, we need to raise strong daughters. ~We don’t need a man to complete us, or to love us. And for a split second, I let the shouts of peer pressure dissuade me and compromise the heart of my beliefs. My finger briefly staggering over the delete button. God’s shouts were greater. I am STRONG. I am CONFIDENT and ABLE. I have raised STRONG daughters. But I am NOT complete without my man, and I will make no apologies for this. Why am I labeled “old fashioned”? Why does the world view this as a weakness? If this is my weakness, I am proud of it. If this is my weakness, I am stronger for it. I was created for my husband. I love him more than life itself. Despite what society claims~I do not cook and clean, do laundry and keep house because I am his slave. I do not do these things because I am weak. I do not do these things because I have been brainwashed by my religion. I CHOOSE to do these things because of love. My choice. I do these things because it gives me so much joy to love on this man of mine. I do them because he is my “Happily Ever After”. He is the love story God wrote just for me. I understand that there are women who will never marry. I understand that there are women reading this right now that are single, but have not chosen to be. Perhaps divorce, or even death has placed this label on you. Whether you have chosen to be single, or perhaps you are praying even now for the man God has for you~ that “man who is waiting to love you as God intended”~ Whatever category you fall into~ make no mistake, neither of these make you weak in God’s eyes. Should we be content to be fully loved by Christ alone, even if we are to remain single? Yes, we should find contentment in Christ alone~ but God never once tells us in His word that it is wrong to pray for a spouse. God never once tells us it is wrong to be made complete by a man. In fact, He tells us the opposite. He tells us that He created us to be a help meet to our husbands. He tells us that when we are married, we two become one. Without my husband, I am only half as strong as I can be. Together with him, we are one. He makes me whole. Don’t allow society to change the very heart of your beliefs. Don’t allow the screams of peer pressure to dissuade you or your daughters. Don’t allow their words to make you feel “less than”, weak, or old fashioned. Open God’s word and show them the beautiful picture of what pure, selfless love truly means. Show them the true meaning of strength. This Valentine’s Day I will be proud to be labeled weak, because when I look at my husband my heart fills with a joy that I can’t even put into words. And that’s what love is. A love that God always intended between a husband and wife. One flesh. Bone of my bone. My soul mate and best friend. My lover. The man who takes my breath away, and the man I want next to me when I draw my last breath. The man I would do anything for. The man who completes me. Does this make me weak? Yes, yes it does, haha~ Weak in the knees~ And I am stronger for it.
1/21/2022
Let Them Be LittleRemember when they wanted to be held?
Remember when they snuggled? Remember the make believe days when fairies were real? When bad became good with just one kiss? When beds became forts, and pillows were made for happy dreams? Remember when they thought they could fly? They believed in fairy tales and kingdoms. They played with dolls, and built cities with Lego’s. They played outside for hours. On tire swings and monkey bars. Or just staring at cloud shapes that came alive to tiny eyes. And you loved the innocence their lives beheld. Remember when you would tuck them in and they would smile and giggle and say this was the best day ever? Remember when they were little? Remember when they got sick? One child after another? When fatigue had you crying right along with them? Remember when they were sad and the tears of their tiny broken hearts was more than you could stand? Remember when dreams became bad, and they didn’t want to go to bed at night? Remember the peer pressure and teasing and the sadness that ensued? And you hated that sin had made life so cruel. Remember when you tucked them in, and they begged you not to send them to school in the morning. Remember when they realized they couldn’t fly? Clouds were just clouds. Fairy tales weren’t true. Dolls were for babies. Remember when they weren’t little any more? Remember them now. Remember the times they had to go through heart wrenching circumstances in their lives, with their own little families? With their spouses? Remember the nights you sat alone with your husband in the very house they were raised in, and shed tears for the heartache your adult children were facing? Or could be facing even now. And you cried more than you ever did from fatigue when they were little. Remember the helplessness you felt because this was life? This was adulthood. This wasn’t something a kiss could make better. And you hate that sin has made life so cruel. Let them be little mama. Let them be little for as long as possible. Don’t fall into the trap of making your oldest responsible for your youngest, when he’s just a baby still himself. Don’t tell your children to grow up. Don’t yell at them for ‘not thinking’. Don’t expect them to react like an adult. Let them be little, because you will blink and the heartache this world throws at them will break your own heart. And then you will wish they were little again. Don’t dwell on the bad days. You are mama. The same mama who helped them believe in fairytales and made their childhood days the best days ever. Remind your adolescent and adult children of the beautiful days. Show them there will always be a kingdom, one far better than a fairytale could ever capture. Luke 1:33, Isaiah 9:7, Psalm 145:13, Daniel 7:27. Show them the sunshine through the clouds. Encourage them to see those beautiful shapes. To lay down and rest once in a while. To play and to believe in good again. Because God is always good, and his kingdom is being prepared for us even now. John 14:2, Psalm34:8, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 107:8, Psalm 145:9, And His goodness will always, always prevail against the bad. And He loves them more than your mama heart ever could. And then, as hard as it might be, choose to believe that yourself. And give Him those tears you cry for them. Knowing how much He loves you as well. Let them be little mama. Show them they can fly. Even when they aren’t little anymore. Remind them of how much God loves them. Remind them that He will never leave their sides, that He is in control even when they can’t see the good. Help them believe in that good again. And remember that He is holding them when you no longer can. And as they fall asleep at night, be that mama that made them believe that pillows were made for happy dreams again. The mama that whispered encouragement to their grown up hearts. The hearts that once held so much innocence. Be the mama that continually reminded them that day~ That every day can still be the best day ever. “…And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again…”
We are all familiar with the lyrics to this classic Christmas song, except I wasn’t that mom. I didn’t want school to start again. I wanted to hold on to every minute I had my children home with me during Christmas break. I was the mom watching school cancellations on the television during every snow storm, hoping the name of our school would come across the screen. Snowy days in front of a cozy fire. Hot chocolate and sledding. Movie Mondays where we’d all pile into our tiny den with a big bowl of homemade popcorn. My family. My kids. My heart. Yes I had those days when they would drive me absolutely crazy, but I wouldn’t trade one second of this glorious ministry God has placed me in. The ministry of motherhood. A ministry I often messed up. Motherhood is a high calling and one that far too many take too lightly. Every single second God gives you with your child is of utmost importance and will make a lasting impact on their lives. The words you say, the reactions you have, the love you give and the prayers you pray will mold them into the adult they will one day become. They will notice what is important to you without you ever saying a word, because mama that old saying still holds true today~ ”Actions speak louder than words”. Far too often my actions spoke louder. I wanted that clean house. I wanted that 5 minutes of peace. I wanted time to do projects and to write stories and to fulfill dreams. Today, I have all of that. I have all the time in the world to keep a clean house. To sit in the peace and quiet and write. Today the same rooms of this old house gaze back at me. The rooms I thought had to be cleaned and organized “right now” or I might lose it. The rooms I allowed to get between me and my children, because they were constant interruptions in my schedule. The rooms now empty of toys and children and laughter. Today I realize God did fulfill my dreams. He wrapped them up in four beautiful souls. All that other stuff was just stuff. The furniture has been arranged and rearranged and the paint in this house has been changed multiple times in the past 27 years and I will have multiple moments to change it all again, but those moments with my children are gone. And yes, that can break my heart. I messed up a lot in this ministry of motherhood. At times, we grandmas can often feel that pain of wishing we could have a “do over”. I know I do. But then God reminds me of the little miracles He made of the messes. He reminds me of the laughter. Of holding our breath as we wished for snow days, and the squeals of delight when they were gifted to us. Of playing hide and seek in the house and Barbies in the bedroom. Of making homemade popcorn and cookies and fudge. Of four little bodies snuggling in with mama on the couch. Of the prayers I prayed as tears flowed from an abundantly blessed heart. Yes I messed up, but God was in each one of those messes. He heard my sincere heart as I cried out to Him for the ‘now’ and for the ‘futures’ of my children. He was the God of my mundane days. He was the God Who sat with me as I cried out in prayer. The God Who was next to me as I washed dishes and vacuumed and painted that room one more time. The God Who made my home a safe haven of coziness for my kids. The God Who somehow allowed my children to look at my heart and not just my actions. The God Who turned my little beings into my best friends and my mistakes into lessons made. The God Who answered my prayers despite my problems. My God Who takes this ministry of motherhood seriously. I wasn’t the one who made this house a home. I wasn’t the one who raised my children to love the Lord. It was Jesus in me. Jesus in the messes and Jesus in the beautiful moments. Jesus in the very middle of this ministry of motherhood. No matter what that ministry looks like for you today~Invite Jesus in. Invite Him into every single thing you do. The cooking and baking. The laundry and dishes. The dusting and vacuuming. The painting and the rearranging. The bath time and the bed time. The prayer time. Fall to your knees for that newborn, that toddler, that teenager and college student. That wayward adult. When you invite Jesus in, He makes miracles out of messes. It is a high calling mama. One we need be on our knees for continually. It is a ministry that never ends. A beautiful, glorious, life changing ministry. That sweet, sweet ministry called motherhood.
9/11/2021
These Are The Moments That MatterHe had no idea how much this moment meant to me.
He might not even remember it. A little knock at my front door. My visitor stopping by after piano lessons at the church. Barely inside, he began to tell me all about it. His eyes danced as he told me his ideas. Deep breaths were taken between each sentence. Excitement made it hard to get the words out fast enough. Even though I was smiling and laughing along with him, I wanted to cry. I wanted to grab him and hold him and somehow make him understand how much I loved him. How much I loved this moment. Every part of it. My home next to our church. My grandchildren living so close. My grandson wanting to talk to me. I wanted him to be this way with me as long as God allowed me to live. Sharing his ideas and dreams with grandma, no matter how old he was. She might not even remember it. She might not ever know how much it meant to me, my oldest granddaughter coming to me with her drawings. Telling me she remembers when she was “little” and how I taught her to draw a cat after school one day. He might not ever remember, my middle grandson with his tough exterior and big “muscles” hugging me and whispering “I love you” when his little heart needed reassurance. My youngest granddaughter rearranging the pottery bowls she and her sister made for me so that hers was on my top shelf, and the much needed smile it afforded me in a lonely moment at 2am. The look of pure joy on my 2 year old grandson’s face as he ran into my home like it was the greatest place in the whole wide world. The times they are all together and I catch them playing church and talking about Jesus and even praying together. No they might not ever remember, but it is a beauty God has given me that I will never forget and it is my prayer that it will always be this way. The closeness. The sharing. The smiles. The joy. The love. One day… When my oldest grandson comes home and stops by to tell me he met “the one”, excitement in his eyes as he shares every detail of his future plans. My granddaughter one day reminiscing and remembering the precious bond we had as she told me about school and friends and growing up and the many things I tried to teach her in the moments she was in my care. My grandson whispering he loves me and brushing away my tears as he leaves for college or the mission field or maybe even the military. My granddaughter inviting me over one day and making me smile as my crazy, silly girl takes pride in her home and family and shares it with me. My grandson coming over “just because” and always making me feel like it’s the greatest place in the whole wide world. My grandchildren one day telling me all the amazing things Jesus has done in their lives. Parenting doesn’t stop when our children leave our homes and start having families of their own. It doesn’t stop when our grandchildren arrive and it doesn’t stop no matter how old they become. We will always be mom and grandma, maybe even great grandma if God allows. So invest in their lives now. Listen, share, teach, pray, love. Turn off the TV. Turn off the phones. Push them on the swings, take walks with them. Don’t just talk to them about Jesus, show them the wondrous miracles He performs daily in your life. Let them see Him in every area. Teach them what faith truly means. Share with them the blessings He has poured out upon you time and time again. Listen to them. Listen to every little thing they want to share. Show them a picture of Christ in the listening. I don’t want my grandchildren to have to remember the moments, because I want those moments to be a regular part of their everyday lives~no matter their age. I want them to live in those moments and I want them to see Jesus in those moments. I want them to cling to those moments when life becomes unbearable, holding onto the knowledge that God will never leave them or forsake them. I want them to know beyond a doubt that I will always be praying for them and more than anything~ I want Jesus to be their best Friend. I want them to truly know Him, not just about Him. As life so quickly slips by and the days become months and years faster than you could have ever imagined, you will one day catch your reflection in a mirror and wonder for a moment who that older woman is looking back at you. You will stop and look deeper into her eyes and you will see the heart of the young mama you once were. You might have changed physically, but your heart will always remain the same. You are mom. You are grandma…. With the realization of all that entails, allow it to encourage you to make every single moment count in the lives and memories of those you love, because those moments are fleeting. Hold fast to the promises of God’s words. One day you will be remembered. Let that memory be one of unfeigned faith. A faith that will last from generation to generation, and in the mean time~grab those babies and hold them a little bit closer, love on them a little bit longer and pray for them a whole lot more. Make sure they know how much you love them. How much you love these moments, because these are the moments that matter. Philippians 1:3-6, 2 Timothy 1:3-5, 3:15, Psalm 44:1,8, Psalm 45:17
8/14/2021
I Kept A Secret From My HusbandI had been looking forward to this day for months.
Just like when they were little. Little children, little problems. Today, big children, big problems. And so~ We needed time away. Time to focus on each other. But my heart held a secret from him. The moment we drove away, I missed them all already. (They all live on our block) How could this be? I had felt the need to get away from the chaos for so long. I needed to just be a wife, and not a mom for a short amount of time. He needed me to be just a wife and not a mom for a short amount of time. This has happened time and time again, since they were babies. The chaos gets to us mamas and we become desperate for alone time. Desperate for time away just to gather our thoughts and feel sane again. The crying of little ones, the fighting toddlers, the cleaning and cooking and laundry and endless chores. The noise level and continual talking. The lack of adult conversation. The constant. We feel our minds screaming inside to have some time with our husbands so we can feel like a wife again, like a woman again. But when we finally get it~we miss them and suddenly we can’t remember all the bad, we only remember the good. The soft smell of their little heads, their kisses and hugs, their giggles, their smiles, their unconditional love, their joy at just being in our presence. We remember them snuggled into us, fast asleep and our hearts just want to burst. And when they become adults, that mama life doesn’t get any easier. When your adult children are hurting, the pain in your heart manifolds itself into every area of your life, as does their joy. Even when they’re adults, it’s in a mama’s DNA to take care of her children but you can’t just put a bandaid on all the bad that they will go through. You feel it deeply because you know a kiss and a smile from mom won’t take that pain away any longer. It hurts a mama’s heart to the core. Not only can their hurts lay constant on your heart, but their stresses, their arguments, their jobs and spouses and children… all of it becomes bigger than life and as a mama, your heart just wants to make it all better~but you realize you can’t. And you realize that it takes a toll. It can take a toll on you spiritually and if you aren’t careful, it can take a toll on your marriage. That weight was never meant for a mama to bear, it was meant to be carried by God. You realize your mama’s heart of worry has drowned out the heart of His word and all His promises. And then you know, you NEED that time alone with God, because you aren’t God. You can’t fix everything. And you NEED that time away with your spouse, to reconnect with the one who has been in it with you for the long haul. Who loves your children as much as you do, but also needs that time away. Mama, go away. Go away with God. Go away with your spouse. You will fight it. Your heart will feel guilty and the second you drive away, you will miss them terribly. But you NEED it. Your heart NEEDS it. Your spouse NEEDS it, and you both will be better for it. Figure out a way to get away, and make it happen. He will be a better husband and daddy for it and you will be a better wife and mama. And so~I looked over at my husband as we drove in silence. He was smiling. He had no idea what my heart was feeling. I prayed and God reminded me of how much we needed this. I knew He was right. I needed to let go. I asked God to give my heart peace in leaving it all with Him and focusing on my relationship with Him, and our relationship as a married couple. It didn’t take long. God’s good that way. He gave me a comfort in that moment that this was what was needed. I would return home with a restored soul. With a better appreciation for the beautiful life God has given me. With a deeper love for my husband and a deep peace in my heart. I would be a better mama for it and my marriage would be that much sweeter. So, I reached over, I took his hand in mine and I smiled at him~ Because I knew it already was. |
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