The God of Children and Their Mommies

We've been going to "Family of Promise" meetings at our church recently.  It's a once a month thing - the first one was about the role of a husband in the family, the second about the role of a wife, and the third was about the role of parents.

Honestly, I was tempted to skip the third one (which was just this last Monday).  It's not that I feel we have the parenting thing down pat...it's just that I felt like sitting home and reading my book instead.

Boy, would I have missed out.

I was touched to the very core.  Unfortunately for me, getting touched to the core means bawling my eyes out like a blubbering baby.  Embarrassing.  But unavoidable.

I want to raise our kids to be individuals with their own passions, personalities, and little quirks.  The problem is that most days I treat them more like I want them to be my perfect little robot-children doing what I say and doing it NOW, thank you very much.  Not good.

When I think of the experience my children have with me many days....who is their mommy?  Hard.  Demanding.  Angry.  Impatient.  I just can't help but cry.

The problem is that their mommy is...ME.  Daiquiri Rose.  I'm passionate and outspoken and tend to have a rather tough attitude.  Deal with it.  Or don't.  I don't much care.

But with my kids, I care.

And I don't know how to change who my kids' mommy is.  Sigh.

Thankfully, there is One who knows how to soften hearts and attitudes.  I've been begging him to do His thing in me for the past couple of days.  For the sake of my babies.

I'll tell you, yesterday was eye opening.  By the grace of God, we had a very different day around here.  I saw my kids in a different light - in light of the truth that these children do not belong to me at all.  They're God's people...I've just been blessed with the incredible privilege of helping to raise them.

More discussing, less ordering.

More enjoying their company, less trying how to get my stuff done despite their interruptions.

 

More helping and molding, less punishment.

I'm not gonna do it perfectly.  I just can't.  My main goal is to teach my kids about Him (and to not bite each other), so that they can call on the great Healer and Prince of Peace during those times when I screw it up.  I am deeply thankful that I have a God who can more than make up for my shortcomings and fill in any holes I might leave in their little hearts.  

*FOR SUBSCRIBERS:  Sorry for all the updates - trying to resolve some technical difficulties with photo uploading.