As Moms, wives, and friends we get involved in so many activities.  It is easy for our lives and schedules to quickly fill up to the point of bursting.  When our lives, hearts, and schedules get packed full we don’t have the flexibility to spontaneously help and encourage others.

A month ago I had the blessing of taking a quick road trip with friends.  It was encouraging to spend time with a friend, another Mom.  We have been richly blessed with amazing people in our lives.  Also, we have a lot to be grateful for yet we often get too busy and don’t take enough time to focus about what’s really important.  We forget that other Mom’s are going through many of the same struggles that we go through.  We are not alone.

As Moms we want to allow our children the freedom to grow while at the same time protect them from danger and harm.  There are many mistakes we make as Moms which can often lead to the feeling of guilt. Even though we make many mistakes in our lives and as parents God is much bigger than us.  The focus really isn’t on or about us at all.  Not only that but we are not called to raise “perfect” kids, the goal is to raise godly kids with the help of our spouse, extended family, church leaders, friends, and most importantly Christ. No one is perfect and to expecting our children to be that way is setting everyone up for disappointment.

• The first step is reflecting his love, grace and mercy through our lives in our words and actions starting first in our homes.  We will continue to make a mess of some situations, but He forgives and helps point us back to what really is important.  God has the power to work in our lives and family despite our failures.  He is not surprised by those bumps in the road nor do they slow Him down.  When we are relying on him for strength we will have more energy to focus on helping our children each step of the way.

Having the opportunity to raise and watch my girls grow has been a truly amazing adventure.  As Moms we need to pray for our children, families and those our lives touch.  We don’t know the path before us so we need to trust in His faithfulness and promises for today. While I was on bedrest for weeks the phrase that I repeated continually was “Day by Day”.  Getting through the tasks and plans that are to be accomplish today, not tomorrow or yesterday, just today!

• Therefore the second step is praying for our kids.  One of my prayers for our girls is that they will grow up to know Him and have a soft heart willing to soak in His teachings as well as  listen to His guidance.  I hope that my girls will be able to see past their Moms shortcomings and have a direct relationship with a heavenly Father who loves them even more than their Mom and Dad.  No person or family is perfect.  I am thankful for a husband who plays an active role in the lives of our children and for a God who loves, heals, and protects our family.  It’s okay to loosen my grip a little regarding my children because I know I can hand my concerns about my children and their lives over to Him knowing He has their best interest at heart.

We often get wrap up in what we need to get done that we miss some of the beautiful moments we have with our children.  Our girls are growing up quickly and I have to constantly remind myself that it’s not about us.  Our calling is so much bigger and better than just our schedule and agenda.  We have to continually remind ourselves of what truly matters and to purposely take the extra few minutes each day this week to really spend quality time with our families.

“Heart Reflections” is a series of thoughts and encouragement that come directly from my heart.  Life has a way of throwing us extra challenges and when our focus is pulled away from what is truly important we tend to feel the pressure of stress in our lives.  This series is created to remind us that we are part of something so much bigger than ourselves.  We don’t have to face the pressure of life on our own.  We can trust that our prayers are being heard.  He alone knows what’s best for us and gives us the appropriate strength to get through each day as it is set before us.

Photo by Seattle Municipal Archives