Godly Mothering... A Few Thoughts

Some of you read my my lamentations from Saturday, and some you left sweet messages.  Thank you!  Writing the word "lamentations" takes me straight to the Book where that title can be found.

I keep scraps of paper and notes from sermons and teachings in the drawer beside my bed where I also keep my Bible.  This morning I was cleaning out the junk that accumulates and came upon an envelope covered with notes about being a Godly Mother.  (Perhaps it was from a Mother's Day sermon???)  Ok God... I'm listening.  And what I read completely made sense given the day I had.

Saturday evening, Mike and I held a "family meeting" with the boys (remember those???).   I told them how disappointed I had been by their behavior.  I scolded.  I corrected.  Earlier that day, I spanked the younger one and embarrassed the older one in front of his friend.  All in all, I had been an ogre of a mother... not that they didn't deserve it!

But the amazing thing is that after that... and after all the other times we as mothers chastise, scold, correct, and punish, my children came back to me.  Our children always come back to us.  They bury their sweet faces in our laps.  They hug our legs.  They beg us to tuck them in and tell them that we love them.

And I ask WHY?  

I try to be a Godly mother.  I pray for my children.  I pray for Godly friends. I pray for their physical, emotional, and spiritual protection.

But the role of a Godly mother is more.  She is protective.  She is supportive.  She is devoted.  She is instructive.  And most of all, she is there to prepare her children for their own Godliness.  God knows (no pun intended) it's hard.  He knows sometimes we just want to give it all up.  But I think that is why He puts that sweet desire and passionate love a child has for his or her mom.  Our children want us back and are saying in so many words that they crave the Godly mother.  God put that desire as part of His plan.  His plan for all of His children:  moms and kids alike.