thoughts on motherhood

I shared in a few posts back the feelings of inadequacy and humility I sometimes experience as a mother. As I have prayed answers have come.

Today I read this and it brought me comfort.

"You are doing God's work. You are doing it wonderfully well.
He is blessing you, even- no, especially- when your days and your nights may be
the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even
with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to
touch the hem of the Master's garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry
and wonder and weep over their responsibility as mothers, 'Daughter, be of good
comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.' And it will make your children
whole as well."
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

I think I am often prideful in thinking that I should be able to do this on my own... I should have all the answers... after all, they are my children.

Sometimes I think we can be so hard on ourselves and even on each other and because we set this perfect standard we might feel some " hesitation and some embarrassment" asking for help but I love how the woman "fought her way through the crowd" to get to the Saviour. She was determined, she had faith, and the most amazing part to me is that the Lord felt she was worth saving. When she wasn't enough on her own she went to Him and He made her whole.

Happy Mother's Day Mom

This is my mom... Okay, one sentence and I'm already teary-eyed.


Of course I didn't realize it as a kid but now as an adult, and especially as mother, I look back on my childhood and I am so grateful for my mothers wisdom.


Just a few of the lessons I am most grateful for:


- My mom often would share "spiritual experiences" or prompting she would receive with us when we were just kids. I remember many times growing up my mom would tell me about how she was at the store, or in the car, or cleaning the house, and the spirit prompted her about something. I remember thinking that my mom must have been really special for the Lord to talk to her so much. As I've grown I've found that it is easier for me to recognize the Lord's hand in my life because of my mothers example. I learned from her at a very young age that He is very much a part of our everyday life. What peace and purpose that brings to me today.

- I remember as a teenager I would hear adults talking about how hard it was to talk to their teenagers and how they were always fighting with them and I just didn't understand it. My mom and I got along great during my teenage years. I felt like I could talk to her and I was excited to tell her about my dates and other "teenager stuff". I think about that now and wonder how she did that!
I just hope my kids feel the same way with me when they at are going through their pivotal teenage years.

- My mom taught me by example about humility. I can't tell you how many times I would walk past my mother's room and find her on her knees in prayer. It also wasn't uncommon when we had a disagreement to find my mother a few minutes later sitting on the end of my bed and apologizing for what she had said. It was good for me to see that she wasn't perfect- and just like me- made mistakes but was trying to do better.

- My mom made our home a safe haven from the world. There was peace and love in our home and as a teenager my friends were drawn to our home. It's like they felt it too. I hope that I can create that kind of a home with my children where they will long for the comfort and the peace of home.

Trevor has mentioned several times since we've moved away how he misses being in my parents home. That good feeling is still there.

I could go on and on...


I wish I could be there with you today mom but since I can't I just want you to know how much I love you and how grateful I am for the woman you are. I just hope and pray that I can be the kind of mother to my kids that you were and still are to me. I'm so blessed to call you my mother.


HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

I recently read this quote and wanted to share it.

"If I were Satan and wanted to destroy a society, I think I would stage a full-blown blitz on women. I would keep them so distraught and distracted that they would never find the calming strength and serenity for which their gender has always been known." -Patricia Holland