This is the cover of my planner.
It reads:
5-28-06
They all belong to ME.
The photo is of all four of my kids: Lucy, Amy, Jonathan and Adam. And it serves as a daily reminder of the responsibility I have as a mother and mentor.
Amy commented on how funny that sounded to her.
"Does it really astound you so much?"
The answer is: Yes. Daily.
Because their ages are so spread out and they have always been in such different places in life, it always surprises me when I see all four of them together.
Even after nearly 24 years of motherhood, the concept still humbles me. You would think I would be used to it by now. It still takes my breath away and I think: "Wow. I’m responsible for bringing these four souls into the world."
On the day each one was born, I took a vow before God to raise them to be people of courage and integrity and to be decent human beings. There were times when, as teenagers, I wouldn’t let Amy or Adam do something and they would just shrug their shoulders and offer this explanation to their friends: "She took a vow." =D
Half of the time I think I am doing my job well, the other half I feel like I’m failing miserably (just like every other mother in the world, I’ll bet).
But I’m a praying mother and I have mustard seed faith.
So every day when I reach for my planner, my primary job description looks me in the face.
And I am awed that God would trust me in this way.
H1! No fair about the cup and saucer! Your kids are amazing and so are you! I did look for you on line a couple of times last week….now I’m up…you there?
what a gift you have for weaving these short stories: funny, thought provoking & utterly captivating. Next step: hard copy publication – I see a book in the making.
Marta,I agree with keb. You are a gifted writer! I’m sharing the following (sorry for the length) prayer for all parents or parents to be … It’s wonderful! Keep up the good work … it’s clear that you are a wonderful mother and mentor to your children … “You took the oath to heart … and it shows …” 🙂
I wish you well 🙂 Melek
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Dear Heavenly Father,
Make me a better parent.
Teach me to understand my children,to listen patiently to what they have to say and to answer all their questions kindly.
Keep me from interrupting them,talking back to them and contradicting them.
Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me.
Give me the courage to confess my sins against my children and to ask of them forgiveness when I know that I have done them wrong.
May not I vainly hurt the feelings of my children.
Forbid that I should laugh at their mistakes or resort to shame and ridicule as punishment.
Let me not tempt my child to lie and steal.
So guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and do that honesty produces happiness.
Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me.
May I cease to nag;and when I am out of sorts,
help me, O Lord, to hold my tongue.
Blind me to the little errors of my children,
and help me to see the good things that they do.
Give me a ready word to honest praise.
Help me to grow up with my children,to treat them as those of their own age, but let me not expect of them the judgments and conventions of adults.
Allow me not to rob them of the opportunity
to wait upon themselves,to think, to choose and to make decisions.
Forbid that I should ever punish them for my selfish satisfaction.
May I grant them all their wishes that are reasonable
and have the courage always to withhold a privilege
which I know will do them harm.
Make me so fair and just, so considerate and companionable to my children that they will have a genuine esteem for me.
Fit me to be loved and imitated by my children.
Amen.
-Author unknown-
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“What a child doesn’t receive he can seldom later give.” ~P.D. James
Gotta say, “YOU ARE BLESSED!”LYS
Thank you all for your kind thoughts.Melek –
Thanks to you for sharing that prayer.
I have to add that I am awed that God would trust me with friends like you, too.
“Ah shucks, folks. I’m blushing.”
(Cowardly Lion. Wizard of Oz.)