Reflections

I have had the privilege of being a mom now for 5 years. Over the last day or so I have been reflecting back on the things I have learned about being a mom during these years. I love being a stay at home mom. Not the "Oh I was made for this and every day is peaches and cream" kinda love. Rather the "thank you God for giving me the eyes to see beyond this not so peaches and cream day." I am not a kid lover (don't be offended I love many of your kids dearly). I don't volunteer to teach VBS - I volunteer to administrate it. I am a thinker, a planner and I love deep conversations - they are fuel for my soul. Any of you with kids knows that most of the time it is too loud to think, to strenuous to plan and to involved to have deep conversations while telling your child to stop picking their nose or to quit sucking on the moose's antler. (Oh the things we say).
I can't imagine doing anything else with my days. I often tell people that there is no where else that I would rather be and at the same time there is every where else that I would rather be. Being at home and dealing with my kids and all their messiness (sinful and literal messes) has drawn me into such a richer and deeper relationship with my heavenly Father. As I see how frustrated I get with them so quickly and then I am reminded that "the Lord is not slow in keeping his promises as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance." (2 peter 3:9) And then there are the times that I get angry and yell at them because I am put out by their sin. It is then that I am reminded that it is God's kindness that leads to repentance (Rom 2:4). Oh and what about when I say "how many times do I have to tell you to do such and such...when are you going to remember...." I am reminded that "he who begin a good work in you will carry it on to completion" (Phil 1:6). I am so thankful for these reminders because it is in those moments that I love my Father more. I do all of the same things that my children do and these are his responses to me. Being a mom has made me see so much more of my sin and it has made me understand so much more the grace God has shown me. I pray that in spite of me God would make my children holy, that he would make them love Him and that He would mold their hearts to see the world in light of eternity. I want to share more about specific lessons I have learned through the last 5 years both by hands on and by those great women that have gone before me on this journey and have saw fit to grace me with their lives and their wisdom - both hands on and by their writings. This is enough for now...it is getting to long.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal 6:9