A Mothers' Day

The Good Old Days

This season has happened way too fast. It seems that just yesterday I was driving littles around, doing school drop offs and pick offs, carting to baseball games and theatre practice, loading up backpacks with lunches (or supervising what they packed themselves), and making sure they showered and brushed their teeth before they headed out the door. 

But today I sit here not needing to do any of that. All three boys have learned to be self-sufficient in those areas. Most of the time they don’t really need me unless they are running out of money. This is one area they might need to still work on...earning a dollar and budgeting that dollar. I feel this will come in time, right? 

I sit here and reminisce and long for the "good old days" forgetting that each day had its own challenges. But the thing I will never consider challenging, which I would do over and over again... is having all our boys at home under one roof.  

Our youngest is about to launch into college life. That technically makes us “empty nesters.” And this is what I am having a hard time with. It makes me sad. Not because I don’t want them to launch. I do. I want them to become well-rounded, loving adults using all the gifts and talents God has given them to make a difference in the world. I am just sad.

I am sad about many things In this season. I miss the movement in the house. It started when our first son graduated High School...And then a little more as the second graduated and moved off...And now, our youngest son is graduating and will soon move off as well. I know what is coming. The doors won’t slam as much, the dinner table will become smaller, the TV won’t come on as much, and those deep voices won’t be heard as often. Silence. The very thing I thought I wanted when they were littles with lots of words. But now I am left with my own ringing in my ears. And well, that’s just annoying. 

The other thing that is hard about this season is the constant thoughts in my head that I messed it all up. I am constantly thinking of all the things I “should have” done or “should have” said. I wish that I could go back in time...not to re-do the events (those are orchestrated by God) but to speak into them more. But then again, God is sovereign, and He fills in the gaps. But nonetheless, I sit here full of things I wish I would have said. 

Recently I spoke on “the things I would tell my younger self" with our staff team at church. It was part of a culture building project where once a month a staff person will share on the given topic. This years topic we were to imaging going back in time to share some wisdom with our younger self. Interesting enough, what I shared with the staff is exactly what I would tell my boys.  

1. Embrace who God created you to be. You are going to go through a season of doubt. Everyone does. And when you do, the world will swoop in and start using things you have done or said to define you. They will try to convince you that your circumstances define you. Don’t listen!  

   
   

2. Pursue Truth. Always surround yourself with those who can speak truth into your life and point you to Jesus. I pray constantly for God to place friends in your life who will guide you to truth and help you find your way. The kind of friends who can give you immeasurably more than you could ever ask for or imagine. These friends will lead you to the only One who can tell you who you are. They will teach you how to find God in scripture, how to find Him in your circumstances, and champion you to be who God created you to be. 

3. God restores the years the locusts have eaten. Satan meant it for evil, but God will use it for good. There is not a piece of your story He will not use. God made you for more. God will, in His own time and in His own way, restore the brokenness. Restoration won’t always be what we think it should look like. But what you can bank on every time is that God will reveal more and more about His character, His love, and His plan for your life. 

So, on this Mother's Day, this is what I give...Words. Words of love, hope, and truth...and hopefully encouragement. Moms are not perfect...but we are perfected in Christ. God will use all of the good and bad parts of us because that's the kind of God He is. He uses EVERYTHING for good. So today I celebrate being a mom to these three wonderful boys God has given me. I will probably always think I have messed it up, but I know the One who can make it all RIGHT. I will just make sure I always point them to Him!