Originally published Tuesday, 14 April 2015.
Mother's often struggle with mommy guilt over words uttered in anger, cookies unmade, plans not brought to fruition, and energy misappropriated.
The heart of most mothers' is full of good intentions, noble purposes, and best-laid plans. However, the crumbs, melt-downs, mood swings of teens, and business of life leave the portrait of our days painted differently than the landscape in our minds-eye.
Take heart: God redeems the imperfections and the masterpieces of those who seek to live and love through a righteous life.
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8, NIV)
Mom's, under normal circumstances children will remember much of the good and less of the bad. That is what equips them to make their own parenting choices in the future. It leads them to the Father. It reminds them of an agape love that only the one Father can provide all of the time.
God has equipped children with the greatest capacity for love and forgiveness. It is true, our children reflect the gospel.
Yesterday at breakfast, one of my boys was crying over the way I had prepared his English muffin. That did it. The crying over his daily bread broke me into fitful pieces and the peace in our home was sliced right through.
Ron helped clean up the crumbs of crisis and loaded the kids in the car for a park date and me some much needed alone time. Before leaving, my son came bearing good-bye kisses and kneaded the dough of love into his mama's heart. I needed that.
As he left, simply these words, "I have hugs and kisses in my heart for you and dad when we get back too mama."
Great love. Great forgiveness. Great grace. Those are the ingredients of the spiritual and the generational families of this life and the next.
Because they call me mom I must call on the Father more.
Because they call me mom I have added accountability to practice what I preach.
Because they call me mom I have kisses and hugs in abundance.
In short, I am blessed...because they call me mom.
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