mother's day

I was thankful for a day to reflect on my role as a mother and how I've been shaped by Christian mothers and mothers-to-be around me. Yesterday as I listened to a sermon on Acts 9:31-43 at my parents' church, I was reminded of the fact that I am daily engaged in kingdom work caring for and training up my children. It doesn't matter if the house is spotless or dinner is on the table at the same time every night; what weighs heavy is whether my children grow in the fear the Lord. It's a tall order, and I'm humbled daily at my failures to keep it at the center of my mothering.

Serving as a mother has made me appreciate my own mom in new ways. I often wonder how she mothered me, along with 4 other rambunctious tykes, working full time to boot! Grace. My mother always claims her source, and I find myself joining its refrain a generation later.

I brainstormed a small list of tributes yesterday: things I disliked about my mom growing up but I've come to appreciate in my (hopefully) wiser, more mature years.

1.) Buying fruit leather from the coop for snack recess instead of the coveted Handi Snacks.
2.) Baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, though I whined for ones without all the healthful ingredients.
3.) Asking me whether I practiced the piano after school, to which I frequently lied and said "yes" and now wish I hadn't.
4.) Helping me plant, harvest, and weed in the garden--all useful skills now as I tend my own.
5.) Making me pick strawberries at the local patch many summers; I begrudged the work, but now I wish for access to a local pick-your-own strawberry patch.
6.) Correcting my use of vulgarities: "(Fill in the blank) doesn't suck; a vacuum cleaner sucks."
7.) Taking me along to the Rolscreen recreation trail area; it wasn't as fun as going to the pool or park, but it taught me the importance of exercise.
8.) Refusing me when I begged for any of the following: candy, clothes, pop, junk food, the latest fad, etc.
9.) Enforcing rules of modesty in my dress and politeness in my manners.
10.) Shopping sale racks and almost never buying anything at full price; I now find myself heading directly to the sale racks in stores.