The Last Step In Parental Love

The last step in parental love involves the release of the beloved; the willing cutting of the cord that would otherwise keep the child in a state of emotional dependence.

  LOUIS MUMFORD

Over the past two years I have had watched my friend, Angela, celebrate the college graduations of all three of her children, celebrate her daughters' marriages, and today she and her husband, Darren, witnessed their son become a junior officer in the U.S. Navy.  Wonderful events and celebrations and as parents, very proud moments.

These celebrations are bittersweet for a mother.  On one hand, you are so blessed to know that your children are moving forward and fulfilling their calling and destiny according to God's plan. But on the other hand, your heart is breaking because you realize that no longer will your babies be living under your roof and, in Angela's case, they will not even be living in her community or part of the country.

It is in these "celebrations" of milestones that we realize our children no longer need us to teach them to tie their shoes or how to write their ABC's. These little ones, we have loved since the moment we knew we were carrying them inside of ,will no longer need us to wash their team uniforms or bring snacks for the team to the next game.  We are no longer needed to sew Halloween costumes, bake cupcakes for their class, put toys together, or take them to kids' church and  Sunday School.  We won't be needed to remind them to wear their seat belt or not text and drive.  It becomes painfully obvious that we, the moms, are no longer needed.  Or are we?

The reason we did all of the above was to prepare our babies for adult life.  To demonstrate love, commitment, faith and family in front of them.  The goal and objective from the very first moment they placed that beautiful child in our arms, was to "teach them the way they should go, so when they are older they would not depart from it."  Isn't that still our goal?  Just because we aren't "physically" needed at every moment, doesn't mean our love and teaching stop.

At one point today I noticed Angela wrapping her hand tightly around her Navy son's finger.  I instantly went back to when my sons' were born and one of my favorite memories of them is when they would wrap their little fingers around my pinky.  There was a bond.  A commitment. A blessing.  These things go on, even after our children are grown and away from our watchful eye.

Are we still needed?  YES!  We are needed to support them as they move forward.  We are needed to love them unconditionally as they continue to learn how to navigate through this world.  We are needed to encourage them when this world mistreats them and life doesn't seem fair.  We are needed to offer wisdom  when asked, forgiveness when required, and comfort as only a parent can do.  They are still counting on us to be there.

True, "being there"may now mean skyping; phone calls; emails and/or the occasional visit, but their location is just geography.  The heart strings are still attached and it amazes me how God allows them to,not only stretch the distance between, but to become stronger in the stretching!

My friend, Angela, has demonstrated with such grace what it means to "hold their hand for a little while, but their heart forever".  Our jobs, as mothers, has not ended, the method in which we "mother" has merely changed. <3

INSPIRE SOMEONE TODAY!

 

Have you ever had the opportunity to inspire someone?

 

 

 

 Sometimes we try and keep all our wisdom, experiences, and gifts to ourselves because we are afraid to allow someone else to succeed. Afterall, they might get more of the "spotlight" then we do, or be better at something than we are, and that frightens us. But it is truly a sign of strength and love when we can inspire others to be the best they can be, without any fear or worry of how it might affect us.

 

Think about Jesus. He inspired back when He walked this earth and He inspires today. Not once did He ever say, " I don't want to share this information/love/healing with someone else. They might think they can do it better than me! People might start liking them more than me." No, Jesus always loved and cared enough about those He met that it was His mission was to leave them better off then when He first met them. May that be our mission as well today!

 

 

Hebrews 10:24
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

 

A glad heart makes a cheerful face,

but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

PROVERBS 15:13

 

 

 

If your face was a blank canvas, and you were to paint a picture of Jesus on the front of it, what would He look like? Remember, when you go ...through your day, people are watching your face. Our expressions, the words coming out of our mouths, the reflection of our eyes. Let's make sure we are a portrait of the Lord's truth, love, compassion and joy today! Sometimes the only bible a person will be exposed to is us!

 

 

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you

John 15:12

 

 

 

"The rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart."

 

I have a beautiful bouquet of red roses on my dining room table. They started out as little buds, then they opened so beautifully, and this morning I noticed that the petals and leaves were beginning to fall to the table. Interestingly enough, as the roses are falling apart, they are the most fragrant! The entire dininig room smells like roses...but the roses themselves are dying. 

 

I tend to believe that this is how Christ sees us. When our lives are going well we tend to not think we need God. But as our lives begin to fall apart and we become fearful and in need, that is when we turn to Him in prayer. 

 

When we are falling apart, and dying to ourselves, and realizing that we need a Savior, Jesus Christ, we must smell so sweet in the nostrils of God and in our brokeness we must be so beautiful to His eyes, for He knows that, now, He is able to reach down and put us back together in the way He intended us to be. ♥

 

JOHN 12:24

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.