The Beauty of Mothering

Giving credit and thanks to Bonnie, for freely sharing her beautiful graphics!

Mother's Day ...

a day that carries so much beauty, 

and so many emotions. 

For how can one word - one person -

hold a place of such huge significance?

My life changed forever when I held my sweet baby daughter in my arms for the first time. It was May 11, 1973 - just two days before I had the greatest privilege of celebrating my very first Mother's Day. And since then, I have been blessed to mother five more precious ones ... four daughters, and two sons in all. It is one of life's greatest blessings to carry the name of mother.

Mothering is one of the most wonderful, glorious, beautiful, emotional, heart-breaking, all-consuming roles that you could wish for, or even imagine. And it is one of the most longed for roles for many. It is simply one of the most fulfilling roles there is, and it is clearly one of the most demanding roles that we can ever experience. It can be dreamt about and highly anticipated, can come unexpected and unplanned for, or it can be out of reach for many who long for it so deeply.

Mothering can fill our days with beauty, warmth, and more love than we can even imagine, and it can also deplete us of strength, joy, and bring us to our knees over and over again.

Mothering is complex. 

It calls for more than we have.

How can we possibly fulfill 

all that this role calls for? 

And in the complexity of this role, and in all the emotions of the good and the hard days of mothering, I have found that there is one constant. One thing that never changes. Though each day of mothering may bring new and diverse situations and responsibilities, a need for much wisdom to know how to mother in these specific circumstances, and with each day we often find ourselves with an array of emotions for as mothers our love is so deeply connected with our children - in all of this ... there is a source of solid, firm, constant, faithful support for us as we mother.

I have found over and over again, that mothering is what draws me to Jesus more than anything else in this life. Mothering is what lifts up my heart to Him in thanks - as I am filled with the deep joy of mothering, of the joy in giving of unconditional love, of joy in the receiving of the sweetest of love, of the joy of seeing life develop and thrive. 

And mothering is what draws me to need Him in ways that I never knew before, for I have found myself in places of need that I have never known before. Mothering has a way of making us feel so completely helpless. For we are completely helpless to accomplish what we desire most in the lives of our loved children. We can give of our very best efforts, but we, ourselves, do not hold the power to change hearts. It is only God who can accomplish the things of the heart.

We do not have what it takes to mother. We are in need of Him. Everyday. Whether our children are little, or are grown. I need His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) These are the character qualities that we need every day as we mother, and these come only from Him. Mothering is beyond ourselves. We are in need every day as we mother.  

As we find ourselves in need of Him, 

as we are held by Him - 

we find all that we need as mothers.

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing you a Mother's Day
filled to overflowing
with love from children, and family,
and most of all,
with the faithful, unending
love of God for you, as you mother.