of words to remember, I Peter, and fly swatting...

Words to remember this week from my reading in"Ministry of Motherhood" were:

"the mother's dreams and goals are not what necessarily motivates the children to become better behaved  or Christlike...what matters is our loving presence." P. 33

"In order for them to be open to my messages, I must be able to say no to my rights and yes to their needs to be willing to be available to them."

All true. Very true.

Worth taking seriously and thinking about. But. There is an elephant in the room and that is a one word elephant, interestingly enough, bearing the same initial....the word "enough."

Am I loving "enough?"

Am I present "enough?"

am I self sacrificing "enough?"

Am I available "enough?"

Am I meeting their needs "enough?"

No matter how sweet the Christian author, how hopeful, how helpful, the whisper is heard in every mommyreader's heart as she reads precept and suggestion...am I doing ...enough...or, harder still Am ...I...enough?

  And we look over at that litlle sleeping person burrowed under the Hello Kitty comforter, squeezing the funky soft pet (that WILL make it to the laundry tomorrow), and say...no way. No how.

 Whatever the dear, kindly author presents in her on-paper account, I have to try to shake loose of the perfectionism and be careful how to apply the study here.

And I must not compare.

My life, my thoughts, my actions, my words are neither carefully worded or faithfully edited to the world around me, at least, not that I can see. The mothering scenarios I read here make mine pale in comparison, and that leads me to try to remember to root it out, the comparing. Comparison is almost always a bad idea.

Proverbs 4:25~"Let your eyes look straight ahead~ fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm"

Hymn~"How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word..."

As we look on 1 Peter 4:8 and the love which covers a multitude of our sins, I want to remember that this love covers me in my imperfect wifing (is that even a word?) and mothering. Jesus has indeed covered my sins by His awesome love for me...for you, too. Before we even had a chance to check the rearview mirror and fix the cut and perception...He loves us, Moms.

Firm and grounded in His Word for us, His excellent Words for us, we will continue on...setting sure a faith in His promise of enduring love for us~ unearned and unrefinable, faith in the wonderful way He created us unique in our individuality (Ps. 139:13-14) and faith in His plans for us to prosper our lives and bless our futures (Jer 29:11).

It may not look like anyone else's, but this is your love for your family given to you by Him. Highlight passages in "Ministry of Motherhood", "Wisdom for Mothers" whatever you are studying, if they help you, but swat the flies of comparison with vigor...do not let them spoil the view for you of Christ's love, His unique love for you, specially made and fashioned for you.

love and blessings, Jenny