Living up to the Mother's Day Card Mother

She is one of the most intriguing people I know.  But secretly, I always feel inadequate around her.  She makes everything look effortless.  In reality,  I know this not to be the case, for life is hard.  But she is intelligent, always has a clean house, remembers everyone's birthdays, cooks from scratch and looks amazing.  She is one of those super moms we wish we could all be.  My house is never clean.  I can cook from scratch but rarely do.  I am lucky to remember my own child's birthday and if it weren't for facebook, I would not remember half of what it appears I do.  Last week was my anniversary and I didn't remember until the morning of.  My hair only looks amazing if I pay Justin to style it and that only lasts till bedtime.  My son forgets his manners, homework, refuses to bathe regularly, eats junk for dinner and breakfast and his room is never clean.  I did have him vaccinated (and I am well aware of the medical debate on that one).  Truthfully I guess I can not take credit for that since the pediatrician actually did it, I just held him down.  And like Tina Fey, I pray regularly that the good Lord will protect him from having any Chinese symbol for wisdom tatoo or a rose tatoo with the name of some girl he thought he would love forever.  I freely admit we have had popcorn for dinner and not on family movie night either.  And I did allow his wrestling mania phase against my better judgement and prayers were answered, he outgrew it.  I am sure he watches too much TV, plays too many war games and has not read enough of the classics. But he does know how to write a thank you note, diagram a sentence, give a hug and say thank you.   But a wise mother, she knows this one secret:
"A wise mother knows what powerful man can forget-the way to move heaven and earth isn't with a strong arm but with a bowed head." Ann Voskamp

Motherhood, thankfully is not about perfection.  Because you will fail.  It is what you do with the failures that matter.  Motherhood does not come with a superman cape either and here is where we can help each other. Remind each other that motherhood can spin you in circles and thankfully we are all encircled by Grace.   Remind each other that motherhood is hard and we can do hard things.  Remind each other of the promise written by the prophet Isaiah:
"He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young..."

So remember how much your Creator loves you and that mothering just requires committment and that really and truly it is His love that grows us all...

And all mothers know this:

"Mothers, preachers and prophets doggedly believe that leopards can lose spots and grace and angels can make pigs fly. And mothers they never stop believing in the miracle of change and believing in the miracle of change is the sum total of a mother's job and the theological term for that is faith. "  Ann Voskamp

All is grace,

Grateful for mothers everywhere....

Kathleen













In case you need a good laugh:
A Prayer for all Mothers