Happy Belated Mother's Day



This week, I came across this in a devotional book.  I wanted to share it with you.  Here it goes:

"A Mother's Meditation"

There is nothing but peace in my life today.  I know only serenity inside, despite what is going on outside of me.  I react positively to every event I am faced with today.  I respond with only love and kindness, no matter what I am responding to.  I  am empowered and strengthened from within, and I am capable of handling any challenge that faces me, any obstacle that obstructs my path to a perfect, joyful experience of being alive today.

 And so it is."*


All I have to say after reading this is:

Bahahahaahaha!

 (sniff)  so funny.


You know,  I think I could actually make this happen, but only if I were on vacation.  Without children.

In reality, it's more like this:

There is nothing but chaos in my life today.  I would love peace, but I'm not at that time of life yet.

The children need to get ready for school, I have cupcakes to make for a church event, 3 of us desperately need a haircut and 2 of us are overdue for doctor's appointments and our library books were due yesterday.  Sorry - no serenity for this lady today.

I try to react positively to everything I am faced with today, but when the dog is gnawing on a piece of heirloom furniture while my 4-year-old is yelling that he needs wiped and he dropped a whole roll of toilet paper in the potty again, it is a challenge to react positively.

I react, but not always with serene grace.  I may be lacking in love and kindness at that moment.  Sometimes I decide to keep my mouth shut until I can cool off.  That is almost always the best way, at least for me.

I am empowered and strengthened from within, but the strength doesn't come from me - it's from God.  When I am having one of those days - and let me be honest here - every day is one of "those days" - I can look to God for help.

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."  (Phillippians 4:13) is one of my favorite, most used verses from the Bible.  Right there is where daily strength and serenity comes from. 

God's ocean is boundless, even if I draw out a bucketful every day. 

I do not pray a perfectly worded prayer.  Sometimes the only prayer I can utter is, "God, help!"  I use that one a lot.  Other times it's, "Please help me get to bedtime!"

I know that I will not be able to expect a joyful experience of being alive every day, but joy comes in small moments.   




My almost 9-year-old daughter, who struggles with spelling, spelled "Mother" right on all her cards she made.  (Not that she had to, but it was a neat perk) and made up a cute poem.  I have to share it!

                              (Roses are red, violets are blue.  You are a mom and I love you!)


My 4-year-old son, who woke me up at 6:30 a.m. with a little tiny kiss on the end of my nose - if I have to be woken up at o'dark-thirty, this is the way to do it.


And snuggling with my shy 6-year-old, or doing a cooking project together, or planning a garden.  Mostly, I love hearing her read these days.  She is amazing!!


These three little people have made me a mother.  They have tested me in every way - sheer exhaustion, sleep deprivation, endless tasks and chores, zero time to myself, in sickness and in health, playdates and birthday parties - they are my kids!  I have grown and stretched and changed as a person, as an adult, as a mother.



Maybe one day I'll enjoy Mother's Day with my adult children.  My life's work will be memorialized in funny stories about their childhood.  We will look fondly back and these busy days will be a distant memory.

Sunday, we went out to dinner and spent an hour trying to entertain and engage them while we were waiting for our meals.  We cut up their food, blew on their french fries, and squirted ketchup on their sandwiches.

For me, right now, every day is Mother's Day.  I'll never stop being a mom.  This is just the super-active, involved part of motherhood.

Keeping this in mind,  right now is perfection.  This is peace.  This is serenity amidst chaos.


Happy Mother's Day, to all who have mothers, are mothers, or are mothers-to-be!


*Quote taken from A Mother's Daily Prayer Book Publications International, Ltd.  2009

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