GIVE YOURSELF A LITTLE GRACE

     Something unique happens in our lives when we become moms of little ones – we find ourselves in a season of dirty diapers, feedings, fussing, and being in constant demand. It’s a stage of life that we’ve most likely never been in before, and once those little ones grow up a bit, we’ll likely not be there ever again.

     Since the youngest of my five children has departed from the preschool years, I often find myself reflecting on what I've left behind.

     I LOVED my babies; the smell of sweet skin, the fuzz of their little heads, and the way only a baby can snuggle into the warmth of your arms. I miss that SO MUCH! But, I also remember the exhaustion, the feelings of being alone and overwhelmed, and wishing my family wasn't three borders away!

     Could it be that the "babies stage" is one of the most challenging seasons in our entire lives?

     In those moments of juggling babies, diapers and doctor's appointments; we do what most moms would -- we frantically search for wisdom!  We look for those who have gone before us and can make it easier, tell us how it should be done and offer us hope that this WILL get easier.  And that's good, BUT...

     When you read the words of the wise that have gone before you, please remember something…you need to give yourself a little grace. 

     My guess is 9 times out of 10 our sources of wisdom are further ahead in the journey than we are -- and God tells us to search them out (Job 12 tells us that wisdom is found among the aged and long life brings understanding)  -- they are wonderful places to learn from.  But remember, those same sources may sometimes forget the detail; the intensity of the tiredness, the extreme busyness of a toddler and reality of daily demands.  You need to combine grace with whatever you read / hear / see.

     God’s Word is our primary source of survival in every stage, and when our babes are in arms, that's where we'll find direction mixed beautifully with grace; everything else that comes to us by way of information, is secondary, if anything at all. Even as I type these words I am so aware that my memory fails me on the details of countless sleepless nights, although I know I will never forget them completely.


     Don’t neglect the words of the wise that come from so many sources, but if necessary, DO take them with a grain of salt.

     Be patient with yourself – God is patient with you – and you WILL get to where you need to be, one “grace” day at a time.  (And if you are struggling with good 'ol Proverbs 31 mom -- we're going to talk about her next time)

"If any of you lacks wisdom,

you should ask God, who gives 

generously to all."

James 1:5

Take a Leap

As we prepare for the seasons to change again - for all of us with the natural turn of spring to summer, but also for some special moms who are welcoming new babies - I want to reflect on what there is in our lives that we can "Take a Leap Of Faith" in. Life is ever changing - which is a blessing in the challenging times but sadness in the good times and we know that the only true constant in our lives is Jesus Christ. But what is there in our lives that we need to surrender over to Him? That is where the Leap is.

It does not seem that long ago that I was welcoming a second baby into our home. As I was reflecting on this the other day, with a sweet friend (who is about to welcome her second home), I got to remembering the very hard, but important heart process that I went through during that time. I remember loving every day with my almost two year old son while feeling my belly grow larger and larger - over and over I wondered, and for some moments even stressed, on how I could possibly love this about to be baby as much as I loved our toddler son. As I reflect now, I laugh at myself, but it was very real then and very important to process through. I share this reflection because it sets the stage for a good example of Leaping by Faith into the unknown.

There is no unknown with God - but there is so much unknown for each of us. Every time we find ourselves in a place we think there isn't unknown, chances are that it is about to change anyway. But as I was thinking back to preparing for that new baby, I remember that there was not any way to completely prepare my heart or convince myself that I would be capable of loving this second child as much as I loved my first. Others told me that I would, but I had not yet experienced God's miracle of my heart doubling in capacity. When it all came down to it - all I could do was give it over to the Lord and tell Him I would trust Him with my fears because I couldn't do anything about it. I told Him how I was feeling and that I knew He had planned all these things and said I would trust Him with the rest.

The joy in this story is that I was able to truly enjoy the end of my pregnancy while loving my little boy and leaving the rest up to God. I would feel waves of panic, but give it over to my Father God and go back to trusting - which was for me, at that time, a Leap of Faith. You all can guess the ending to the story - especially if you have already had more than one child - I was as deeply in love with our second from the moment she arrived, as I was with our first. I still can't humanly explain it, other than the capacity of a mother's heart is truly a gift from God. The best part is that I went on to experience it three more times after that and each one was just as amazing.

God knows the unknown and there is nothing we need to fear. Psalm 119 says, "Lord, you have searched me and you know me...even the darkness is not dark to you...all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be...Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts...lead me in the way everlasting."

I don't know what your "Leap" looks like - but you probably do and God certainly does. Please let me encourage you to give it completely over to Him and trust Him for the results...new babies may seem to trivial to what you are going through, but it doesn't matter what it is - He is more than able. I want to close with Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory." Have fun leaping!