Lessons From Motherhood

I remember sitting on the steps of my childhood home and talking with my mother. Her eyes widened when I told her that I was never going to have children. That was over twenty years and five kids ago.

I have learned many lessons being a mother. Here are a
few:

One cup of fabric softener will conquer and subdue the mountain of bubbles that will come from accidentally using Dawn in your dishwasher.

It is impossible to vacuum up beef stew from your kitchen floor. However, your ten year old son doesn’t know this and will use your brand new vacuum anyway.

Your young children will pick the worst time imaginable (such as standing in line at the funeral visitation of a dear Christian friend) to loudly ask you what the most obscene word in the world means.

Hands down, peanut butter is the best substance for removing bubble gum from hair (including the family dog’s).

Your beautiful, innocent newborn baby can one day turn into a back-talking, door-slamming teen.

Even though they might break their neck, one of your children will use their mattress to slide down the stairs.

Another one of your children will think its cool and record it. This stair-surfing fiasco may end up on YouTube before you ever find out about it.

No matter how many times you warn them, kids with braces will sneak taffy candy or licorice. Don’t be surprised when your orthodontist thanks you for sending his kids to college.

The many sermons you’ve heard on the mercy of God will come to mind as you stare into the eyes of the child who returns the family car with a few dents and a missing side mirror.

Although I have learned many lessons throughout my years of motherhood, the greatest is that regardless of what my children do, I will never stop loving them. I have a feeling that God feels the same way about me.

I know I’ve caused him heartache. I’m certain there were times when he was disappointed yet through all of my failures, he never gave up on me and not once did he forsake me (Hebrews 13:5).

What a comfort to know that nothing can or will separate us from the deep abiding love of our God (Romans 8:38-39).

Life is full of lessons. Let the greatest one you learn be about the love, grace, and mercy of our Heavenly Father.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God… (I John 3:1)

by Paula Harrington @ www.forthright.net