Mother's Day 2012

What a journey it has been! Often as I reflect on my life as a mother I am moved by the fact that I have a good relationship with my two daughters. How this came to be, I’m not exactly sure. I was far from a Proverbs 31 woman and to be honest, I went into parenting with no planning; basically ill-prepared to take care of any other human being.

I will never forget the day we were packing up to go home from the hospital after having our first-born (who is now a mother as well). I saw her lying on the bed and heard her softly crying. The thought crossed my mind that I didn’t have the faintest idea of how to console her. This was a problem! I was suddenly completely overwhelmed at the huge responsibility I had just signed up for.

Since that day, even to now, I have been amazed at how God can use our weak and ignorant places to teach us so much about Him! I firmly believe He allows us to learn about His love by experiencing first-hand the love of a child. We love and give and forgive because we are motivated by a desire to stay connected to this person who is an extension of us. We see their value. Which must be how God feels! We are an extension of Him, created in his likeness, and He is motivated to know us. He forgives without hesitation and loves us, forgetting all the wrong we have done and the pain we have caused. He sees our value. He is surely an amazing God!

I don’t know how it is that our children can often teach us more than we can teach them, but it's true!  I sometimes feel as though I am looking in a mirror and it allows me to see exactly the areas where I am weak or falling short. Our role as mothers will change over time, but as long as we breathe, we can learn to be more like Him.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers who keep getting up every morning to love, guide and protect their child!

-Paula