REALLY Loving our Children

     The house resembled the aftermath of an earthquake, the loud voices of children reverberated off the walls and "dad" was due home any minute and would be looking for his supper!  I was not experiencing the emotions of being a loving mommy in that moment . . . but fortunately there's a lot more to love than feelings.

     There is love in its godly, active form -- LOVING, when it's found as a verb.

     We scattered to put quick semblance of order to the messes that seemed to litter every room, I worked to patiently lower the noise level and pull together a chicken stir-fry.  By the end of that day, when young ones were asleep and older ones had their feet resting with a book in hand, life felt a little more hope-filled again.  I was feeling more loving again.

     But what a dangerous thing it is to parent out of our emotions.

     Dr. Dobson had it right years ago, when he said, "Love is a decision."  We daily have to choose to love -- it's our calling as moms to model it to our children and to shower it on our families, as well.

     I came across a poem in a book I was reading last week; although there was no credit to who the author was, evidently it was a rendition of I Corinthians 13.  Listen to what it says . . .

     If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
     but have not love ~ I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker.
     If I have time for waxing, polishing and decorative achievements,
     but have not love ~ my children learn cleanliness, not godliness.
     Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.
     Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
     Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
     Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
     Love is present through trials.
     Love reprimands, reproves and is responsive.
     As a mother there is much I must teach my child,
     but the greatest of all is . . . LOVE.


     That poem is now printed and set upon my fridge, lest I forget my God-given call and reorder the values and priorities that He has for my life as a wife and mom.  May you, too, find a way to be reminded that we each are given the opportunity DAILY to choose love as a verb!

"Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others

than for self.  Love...puts 

up with anything, trusts God

always...keeps going to the end."

I Corinthians 13:4&7

Frustration to Blessing

     The creases furrowed across my youngest son's forehead.  They spoke silently of the mounting frustration inside his small frame.  His current desire was to create a car from his building blocks -- a worthy goal for a determined young four year old IF he had enough supplies.  But given the meager scatterings of blocks he attempted to work from, the task seemed infeasible.

     "Mommmm!"  The call came from the upstairs and seemed to boast of hopelessness.  "I CAN'T DO IT!"  

     My four year old spoke the words with echoes of discouragement.  My mother's heart wished I could wave a wand a make piles of blocks appear, but our budget disagreed with my longings.  Little did I know, something much better was about to transpire.

     Around the corner strolled my oldest son, bulking shoulders and height that caused me, for a moment, to catechize that he could really be mine.  His face, full of secrets and surprise, with sunlight sparkling from his eyes, seemed to contain an unveiled plan.  I doubt I will forget the words that followed next . . .

     "Hey buddy, since you and I are sharing a room now, I have an idea.  How about all MY blocks..." 

     My eyes filled with liquid faster than I imagined possible.  Was he really about to do what it sounded like he would?  The blocks that he had spent his lifetime collecting, guarding and saving for?  Then it happened,  the words poured out sweet and rich . . .

     ". . . become OUR blocks.  We can share them and play with it together, now that you are such a big guy."

     My heart overflowed with thankfulness for this young man that stood before me.  The arguments and squabbles faded out of my mind and all I could see was the gift.  In this moment in time, I saw a heart that God had access to, and the reward was great.  Life has brought enough experience to make me conscious of the fact that this is only a piece of the puzzle that holds both light and dark, good and bad -- but I am at rest with that.  I rejoiced in the gift of love shared between brothers -- years apart in age, but close in heart.

     Then, as if God whispered in my ear, I heard, "That is a picture of who I am.  Your God, who is MORE than enough." The truth resonated deep within, as I pondered these words.  Yes, I thought, I am the one with the meager scatterings that attempts to do things on my own, until You come with Your bountiful provision, far more than enough, for all that I need.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." James 1:17



Washing Each Other's Feet

A while ago, I shared about serving one another in love and recently my three year old gave me a great reminder of that. We were in our school room starting our Bible time when I felt someone playing with my slippers. I asked him what he was doing and he told me he wanted to clean my feet. This is not the first time he has kindly used a cloth and cream to "clean" my feet, but it was his funniest for timing. Since he is not school aged, he is allowed to play while the rest of us focus on Bible, so...while I read to the others, my feet were gently cared for and by the end, I was a very relaxed mommy.

I have thought of him over and over, hunched under the desk so sweetly "cleaning" my feet and I just keep thinking about Jesus and his disciples. In John 13, we are told that Jesus knew his time on earth had come to an end and he wanted to show the full extent of his love - so he chose to wash his disciples feet. When he was finished he further instructed the disciples, starting in verse 14, by saying, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you...Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

God used my three year old to set an example, just as Jesus set for his disciples, and it encouraged me to keep loving and serving. It also made me more aware of watching for opportunities that I can continue to serve my family in. We all need to have real ways that we can see and touch, like I experienced in the school room.

Not all three year olds will wash our feet, but we all need to be loved in the ways we receive it. Jesus not only encouraged us to do the same as he did, but he said we will be blessed if we do them. I know I want to be open to as much blessing as God has - do you?

Don't give up and keep washing those feet - as moms, we have so many ways we can wash feet. There are the tub times when we really do get to wash those real feet, or maybe your husbands rough day and you pull his foot into your lap to massage it for a while - you might not "feel" like it at first, but make the "choice" and your feelings will follow. Look for those opportunities - they are out there and you will be blessed!