The Gift of Motherhood

Motherhood . . . one of the most wonderful gifts on Earth.

Motherhood . . . one of the most terrifying gifts on Earth.

As a mother, you are entrusted to shape and mold a young life. You have the responsibility to see that your child is well fed, cared for, well adjusted, secure, and loved. I firmly believe that for better or for worse a child's mother is one of the greatest if not the greatest influence in his or her life.

As Andrew grows and changes with each passing day, I struggle to make the right choices. Am I traumatizing him by insisting that he sleep in his own bed even though he is adamant that he it too scared to sleep alone? Is he going to think the world revolves around him because I let him stay up past 9:00 p.m. to watch a movie? Is he too spoiled? Does he get too much attention? Does he get enough attention? Am I causing permanent damage by being a working mom (the never ending debate)?

The list of rhetorical questions is long and ever-evolving. Thankfully, I'm not forced to do this alone. I have the support of my family, and my husband is 100% my partner in this whole parenting thing. But even if I had no one else, I am learning, albeit slowly, that ultimately it is God on whom I should depend on the most.

Shockingly enough, He doesn't ask me to be a perfect mother. He doesn't expect me to do everything just right. What He expects is for me to lean on and rely on Him to lead and guide me. So, I may not always do it right. I may get frustrated, and it may show. But in the end motherhood is a learning experience. One that with God's leadership and guidance helps us to grow and change and stretch and become more than we ever dreamed we could be.

And that is really what makes motherhood such an amazing gift.

To all the mothers have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend and a very happy Mother's Day!