As I approach my second Mother's Day of being a mom, I find myself frequently contemplating the myriad of things that being a mom has taught me. Here are just a few of the simple ones that have really changed my perspective on life.
*Unconditional love looks a lot different than I previously thought. If I offer my son hugs, kisses, grace, and patience on a daily basis simply because I love him so dearly, that love should overflow to the other people in my life as well. God loves me with that love, and He commands that I love others with it, too. This has serious implications for my life as a believer, as a wife, as a daughter, as a friend, etc. I love Cale simply because he is Cale; how convicting that I don't do the same for others.
*Sometimes, I just have to get through one day at a time. God gives me the grace to do that. I cannot worry about what tomorrow will bring and whether it will be easier or harder than today.
* I need to enjoy the moments of every day- make the most of every opportunity. This doesn't only apply to motherhood, but all the other areas of life as well. Why get mad at someone in a store or restaurant? Why stay frustrated with my husband over something stupid? Life is absolutely full of opportunities to demonstrate that God is bigger than the small things that go wrong throughout the day.
*To quote a line from one of my favorite songs, "In the pain, there is healing. In Your Name, there is meaning." This one is HUGE. Being pregnant was miserable for me-- not to mention the C-Section, 4 day hospital stay, and subsequent infection that kept me in pain for weeks. And then of course, the nights without more than 2 hours of consecutive sleep until Cale was six months old. And the heart surgery that was necessitated by the pregnancy. Yet, none of those things matter to me anymore. That precious little boy who's sleeping in his crib right now, has been a tool to heal so many deep wounds that felt as if they'd be permanent in our hearts. As I've alluded to in previous blogs, there have been some dark days for us in the last several years. Cale has been an incredible reminder that our God is a penetrating Light. ("You, oh Lord, keep my lamp burning. My God turns my darkness into light."- Psalm 18:28).
*Cale doesn't actually belong to us. He belongs to the Lord. He has since before he was created, and our parenting must reflect that. Every decision we make should be based in God's Word, sought out in prayer, and communicated in love.
*It's ironic that when Cale whines to me over and over and over, clinging to my legs, crying "Mama" repeatedly, I get a little frazzled and impatient. It's ironic because I'm sure my Heavenly Father would be delighted if I clung to Him more closely and cried out for His help more frequently.
*Laughter and flexibility go a long way, and I didn't know half of what I thought I knew about being Mommy. :)
