Teaching Our Children to Fly

Lately I've been pondering how to help my little one learn to be her true self. Though she's only itty-bitty now, it won't be long before she begins to learn how to make her own decisions and be her own person. I, as her mom, have a vital role in helping her develop the skills she will need to be confident in her abilities, in her decision-making skills, and most of all in herself.

I look at her little cherub face and wonder "What will my daughter love? What will she not be able to stand? What will she be afraid of? What kind of humor will she have? What will hurt her feelings? What will make her feel cherished?" and on and on it goes.

I want my daughter to know who she is and not second-guess her worthiness. For that to happen, I have to love her each day, right where she is at. This plays out in different ways at different seasons in her life, but one of my goals as a mom is to be a mom who is remembered as one who found joy in watching my daughter grow into her own person, and delighted in the journey. I may not will not agree with every decision she ever makes and there will be times when she needs to see consequences for actions that she takes (many, if her dad and I are any indicators). But through the journey I want my heart to always be tender toward seeing her through God's eyes.

God sees who we are becoming, and he sees how each part of our individuality can be used for His glory. That is how I want to see her as well. If she has a strong personality I want her to know that God can use that stubbornness, if it is submitted to Him. If she is timid and shy, I want her to know that there are others who may be timid and shy that can benefit from her gentleness and quiet speech. It is within the nuances of her personality that God can shine brightly, revealing Himself to her and to others through her.

As a mom, there is always a lesson to teach or a skill to practice or some way in which it is our responsibility to grow our children. It is a good reminder to me, in the midst of this, that as we teach and lead our children they are supposed to blossom into their own selves. If they are just like us, afraid to branch out into their own dreams or ambitions than perhaps we haven't completed our job. There will come a day when they need to fly solo. I don't want it to hurry up and get here, but when it does come, I want my daughter to have strong wings and be confident in her ability to fly.

Today I am linking up with Rachel Wojnorowski for Whimsical Wednesdays and with Beth Steffaniak for Wedded Wednesdays! Visit these amazing blogs by clicking on their names above!

Family Time: Doing Life Together (Part 2)

We work, work, work and often are so darn busy that when we finally have down time all we want to do is melt into a puddle in front of the television. Mindless oblivion can feel so nice for our weary, overloaded minds. The problem is, mindless oblivion doesn't do much to bring a sense of connectedness to our families. It doesn't recharge our batteries in the long-term way we need our batteries recharged. And, most of the time, it doesn't create the memories that we desire our children to someday recount to their children.

Obviously we want to cultivate a sense of family unity within our homes, but how do we do that with all of the distractions of life? I am finding that, just like all things that are good for our well-being, it takes concerted effort. Strong, healthy families don't just happen. We mamas and papas must be intentional about setting goals, creating avenues, and investing time to build the families that our hearts yearn for.

So where do we start? Where do I start? A runner doesn't run his first marathon without any goals or preparation. A builder doesn't build his first structure without plans and blueprints. So I sit here and think, why would it be any different with me? If I wanted to create a bountiful vegetable garden (side-note: This would flat-out be a bad idea because I am indescribably horticulturally-challenged) I would have to set it up for success first. Research, plans, purchases, getting my hands dirty, tilling the soil...these would all be a part of the prep before I even dig that first hole. I would never expect that carrots and whatnot would just appear without me putting any work into it! That would be absurd. So what makes me think I can grow healthy, well-balanced, passionate-about-Jesus kids and have a whole, connected family without even knowing what I really want or how I want to get there?

With this in mind, I see the need to sit down with the hubs and talk about what goals and desires we have for our family. Asking ourselves the questions of what do we want our family to be known for? What are some of our family values? Are there any important ideals we want to instil in our children as they grow? And how do we get there? Writing our thoughts and answers down, and maybe setting up a yearly date to revisit our hopes, plans, and desires so that we can remember why we do what we do.

Whether you're a brand-new mama or your kiddos have kiddos of their own, we all have goals of the kind of moms we want to be, and with work we can get there. Let me know some of your family goals and how you plan to reach them! Also, stay tuned for Part 3 of Family Time: Doing Life Together (whenever the hubs and I actually make time to sit down and plan out our family goals), and if you missed Part 1, feel free to check it out here!

Today I am linking up with The Better Mom for Better Mom Mondays!

Christmas in July

I love summertime...the lazy days and watermelon-dribbled chins. The sunscreen splotches I can't quite rub in on my little one's face and splashing about in the pool until tiny toes and fingers are all pruny. There is something childlike about summer and I love it. And yet, it is apropos that some celebrate "Christmas in July". In the midst of summer fun, it is almost inevitable that I think wistfully of the scarves, mittens, cookies, and carols of Christmastime. Though I am blissfully content to soak up the warmth and fun of summer, I also anticipate the celebration of a different kind that will come in just a few short months.

As I ponder thoughts of Christmas, it makes me think of how I can bring the gentle hope and giving spirit of that season into this season. Being thoughtful and active in serving others and helping out with their needs shouldn't be a December exclusive. It should be in our hearts year-round. Why do I wait to think of doing something nice for somebody until it is Christmas? With this in mind, I am making an effort to do one nice thing each day for somebody this next month. They (whoever "they" are) say that if you do something for 21 days it becomes a habit. I can certainly think of worse habits to have than cultivating a giving spirit.

So July is about over, but August will be a challenge to grow my heart just a little bit bigger. Who wants to join me? Maybe it means sending a note to a friend (it is so fun to get things other than bills via snail mail when you're grown up). Perhaps it's paying for the customer behind you to get a vanilla latte and a scone thrown in for fun. Or it could be ding-dong-ditching a neighbor with a fun package you make with your young ones full of treats. There are so many creative ways to love others, be thoughtful, pay-it-forward. Whatever you call it, it won't just bless the receiver. I guarantee it will swell your heart up just a little bit bigger too.

 Today I am linking up with Rachel Wojnarowski and Beth Steffaniak! Visit these amazing blogs by clicking on their names above!

 

The Praying Mom

Christian bookshelves are filled with great resources on how to pray. Many of these resources are written specifically for moms and are great encouragements to help moms pray regularly for their children, as well as showing them what prayer looks like. The problem is, at my house, these books often sit on the shelf collecting dust. I have great intentions and know that praying for Baby Girl is an important thing to do. But in the midst of getting chores done, cleaning up messes, and being present in Baby Girl's life, prayer often gets left with all the other unchecked items, eagerly waiting to (maybe) make the list of things I want to try and accomplish tomorrow.

How do we make praying for our kids a regular part of our lives? Getting up early could be an option...but to be honest I am lucky to be semi-conscious before my wee one wants to start the day, let alone awake enough to string a sentence together for the Almighty. I often send quick ones throughout the day (something resembling a Facebook message hastily posted to a friend) asking for help with my attitude or wisdom for a sticky situation. But the deep, thoughtful desires I have for my daughter too often get left unprayed.

So lately, after I lay her sweet and peaceful dalmation-clad self in the crib for the night, I have been taking a moment. I stand outside her door and lift up my thankfulness for who she is and my desires for who she will become. Nothing opulent or profound, just my heartfelt yearnings to God that He would continue to grow her strong in spirit and stature. It's not perfect, and it probably never will be. But it is a start, and it's a daily reminder to me of how blessed I am to be the one chosen to mother this specific girl, with all of her specific personalities and nuances. The more I lift her up in prayer, the more my heart becomes aligned with God's heart towards her...seeing her not just as she is but also as who she is becoming. My precious girl needs my guidance and direction to get there...and I need God's guidance and direction to lead her.

The books on prayer might get read someday, and maybe someday I will have a more defined place and time to pray. Until then, I will continue to be the praying mom by talking to God about my needs, desires, and hopes as they come throughout the day. I will be the praying mom through praying with my little one and teaching her how to talk with God. I will be the praying mom through finding a few moments in the quiet to thank God for each moment with my girl and ask His help me be the mama He's called me to be.

Today I am linking up with Rachel Wojnarowski for Whimsical Wednesdays (check out her blog here) and Beth at Messy Marriage (check out her blog here).