Mother's Day Lessons

It was a week ago and I was driving to church with the girls. It was early and I was singing that morning in worship team so had to be there extra early. The girls were listening to music in the car and I was just thinking to myself about the new Parenting series that was starting at church. I was really excited to listen to what Pastor Peter was going to be speaking on to kick it off. I was hoping to glean anything that would help me with parenting. It had seemed like for the past few weeks Isabel was really testing me/us. Maybe it was because of travels, visitors, and really off routines, but none the less it had been some challenging parenting weeks. Out of the blue on our car ride Isabel asks me, "Mom, did Papa and grandma spank you when you were little like me?" I responded, "Yes they did. When I disobeyed and deserved a consequence." Then she responded, "Do they still spank you now?" Hmm...how should I answer this? "No, they don't." Isabel - "Well, sometimes you speak rude to me." Me - "Your right Isabel, sometimes I do, and mommy is wrong and has learned she needs to ask for forgiveness when I do."

This whole conversation came to mind when Pastor Peter was speaking today on our whole lives and actions being the biggest example we can show our children. That we too are sinners and the "do it because I said so" mentality isn't going to change our children's heart issue(s). I'm still contemplating all of this, but the conversation with Isabel did make me evaluate my own sin and how I need to respond to situations to come.

So after leaving church today, Mother's Day, as most Sundays I do, I got the girls in the car and headed for home. It has sort of become a tradition for us on Sundays (since daddy is working) to go through a drive through, go home, get comfy clothes on, and have a picnic lunch in the living room where we watch a movie. It's probably not the norm for most families. We don't have a sit down dinner like I did growing up, but for us it works and we enjoy ourselves and our time together. So today, since it was Mother's Day I decided to go through one of my favorite drive through places, Long John Silvers. The girls, ok Isabel, was being rather impatient and I was really trying to put the sermon into practice and be a good example, trying to empathize with her how I feel the same ways sometimes when I'm tired and hungry. We got home and I thought, "Okay, we made it, let's eat." I pull our food out only to find they had given us the wrong order, completely wrong, something the girls and I both wouldn't eat. I about burst into tears (that could have been my disappointment or the pregnancy hormones). I would have normally just thrown something together at home, but since we had been our of town this past week I had no food in the house. So I pulled myself together, threw the girls in the car, and ran to the closest McDonald's. It seems like such a trivial thing now, but my reaction even to having been given the wrong food order was witnessed by my girls and probably was less than Christ like.

I'm so thankful for being a mom, but even more thankful for a Savior who pours out his grace when our actions and attitudes fall short.

On a lighter note. I mentioned we put "comfy clothes" on when we get home from church. I usually let Isabel pick out her own clothes on such occasions and this was her combination today (you can't see, but she has 3 shirts on).
Happy Mother's Day!!!