As I continue to read through No More Perfect Moms by Jill Savage, I am so convicted of things that I need to work on in my mothering!
I sometimes find myself asking,"Will the perfect children please stand up? I want to meet your parents!" My children are not perfect. I have compared one child or another to someone else's child or even one of their friends. It is wrong to compare them, I know, but how do I learn to let them be imperfect and still keep my sanity?
Colossians 13:4-7 says,"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Wow! There is so much that I can learn from those verses. So many things I can apply to my parenting.
Love is patient. I don't know about you, but I lack in this area!
Love is kind. When my thirteen year old takes one hour (well it seems like it!) to cycle the dishwasher, it is really hard for me to be kind!
Love does not envy. The comparison game AKA,"Why can't you be more like....!" Umm...OUCH!!!
Love does not boast. I am always quick to share about all the great things my children accomplish but I am twice as quick to try to hide there mess ups. Ouch again!
Love is not proud. Am I able to openly share about the reality of how I am doing or my child without fear of judgement from others?
Love does not dishonor others. Do I try to make my child conform to my idea of who he or she should be rather than allowing them the freedom of being who God intends them to be? (Stepping on my toes here!)
Love is not self-seeking. Am so focused on what I have planned for my day that I refuse to acknowledge what is going on with my child's day?
Love is not easily angered. OUCH. That's all I have here.
Love keeps no record of wrongs. Am I quick to bring up past mistakes and wrongdoing to my child?
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth. I need to be focused on God's truth about my child.
Love protects. Am I protecting these children that God has given me, even when they have challenged my every instruction?
Love trusts. Am I able to fully trust that God really does have a plan and a purpose for each of my children's futures without trying to take the reins?
Love hopes. Do I look forward to a new day with my children to try to do things better or do I dread the approaching day?
Love perseveres. Do I focus only the difficulties of today or am I looking forward to the possibilities of tomorrow?
There is only One who is capable of loving perfectly. Our Heavenly Father loves us perfectly-and our children- and loves us right where we are. I am only to be honest about myself and to work on what he shows me needs to be changed.
I challenge you to do the same!
Love ya, Susan