Oh, my boys. Sometimes at night, I tip-toe into their room and watch them all sleeping like angels. My heart swells, I forget to breathe, and I wonder at a God who could be so amazing as to bless us with such perfect gifts.
When we all play games together, we laugh and hoot and participate in all varieties of crazy antics which means that we’re making memories that we will all hold dear (and will likely bring up during their wedding rehearsal dinners). When we pray together and I hear how they are growing in the Lord, I marvel at their faith. Like Mary, I treasure these things up in my heart.
I remember meeting them for the first time, trying their chosen name on for size, watching them dream. I look back at their baby pictures and can still feel their silky skin and downy hair on my cheek. I revel in the memory. Ooh, baby, I love being a mom.
Yes. Being a mom is glorious. But being a parent? It’s challenging enough to make a no-nonsense military commander pass out cold.
Ahhhh, motherhood bliss.
As this picture clearly shows, my life as a mom is free of issues such as
sibling arguments, vomit, rules declared to be unfair, and head lice.
Parenting involves so much more than simply being a mom (or a dad). If only it was all about picking out cute little clothes for a baby, giggling with a precious chunky toddler, and snuggling with a little guy who is first learning to read. Those mommy moments are delicious. But teaching a child to obey, training a child to be respectful and to listen, disciplining in love, gracefully handling differences and arguments, being consistent, and growing a child up in the Lord? That takes more work, energy, effort, and ambition than building an ark. Not that I’ve ever built an ark. I mean, how could I? I’ve been too busy trying to parent my kids.
I didn’t quite know what I was signing up for when I became a mom. This parenting gig is hard. Walking our kids through relationships, loving them through heartbreaks, cheering them on through losses, and taking time to listen when we’re so tired we can’t think straight? It’s hard. Developing their character, teaching them to manage money, preparing them to be independent, and having patience with them when we are correcting them again for the same thing we just corrected them for five minutes ago? It’s hard.
It’s much easier to plop the kid in front of the TV to watch shows all day to avoid having to deal with being a parent. It’s much easier to ignore the defiance and bad attitudes so that we don’t actually have to come up with an appropriate discipline for the behavior. Or is it?
Our parenting years are hard, but so is anything else that is worth doing right. The truth is, we’re much more capable of rocking this job than we think we are. After all, God has equipped us. He continues to equip us.
So stand tall. Sit up straight. Muscle up, and put on a confident smile. Our most important role as parents is to surrender ourselves and let God work through us.
And never forget to tip-toe into their rooms at night to admire their adorable sleeping faces. God gave them those faces because He knew how much we’d need the heart-melting reminders of our love for them after we see boogers smeared across the wall above their beds.
CJ says
You really have a way with words, Laura. This is a very meaningful post, especially to me at this time. A reminder to keep chuggin along…cuz nobody said it would be easy, but it’s worth it!
Heather says
Wow…this was so needed this morning. Thank you for this beautiful reminder. We can rock this parenting job with GOD, and only because of GOD!
Melanie Sullivan says
So loving that last line… this is so very true and so very timely and so needed in my life right now!! Thanks once again for sharing and for letting God work through your amazing blog! :)
Fletcher R. says
Thanks, Laura; I needed a reminder that I’m not alone.
Lauren says
I love this part of your post.
“It’s much easier to plop the kid in front of the TV to watch shows all day to avoid having to deal with being a parent. It’s much easier to ignore the defiance and bad attitudes so that we don’t actually have to come up with an appropriate discipline for the behavior. Or is it?”
It can be easier in the short term, but can have lasting effects. Thanks for the encouragement!
Ashley says
This blessed my heart. I think even my older children look like they did as babies when they sleep… ahhhh.
kristin peake says
Amen. Praise God…..what a blessing.
Heather says
Laura, do you have any family devotional books that you would recommend, or devotionals you would recommend for teenage boys?
Heather D. says
Literally stood up taller and put my chin up thru tears this morning. It’s been a really rough couple of days back to homeschooling. This helped me hold to my courage in the Lord and do today well.
Also curious as to deco books or other good books to read one-on-one with each of my boys (they are 9 and 6) about character, becoming men of God, etc. My husband is so helpful in this area and they have him to watch thankfully, but I think it could be cool to do that with them as part of their time with just me.
D'Ann Martin says
“I love being a mom! It’s being a parent that knocks me flat.” Love it! You really hit it out of the park with this article! Both of my children got tablets for Christmas this year, and my husband and I are struggling coming up with “tech time” rules for all their gadgets. Being a mommy is so much fun, but I am raising a future husband, wife, dad, mom and citizens, so I have to take this job serious. Thank you for the encouragement! Would love to win the contest as I’m dying to try your pie crust recipe but I don’t have palm oil yet:)
Cynthia Hutchinson says
Would love to try the palm shortening!
Laurie says
I can sooooo relate! I have three teenage sons and a tween daughter, and my heart swells just to type that phrase. I love them so much! Parenting them, however, is so hard. Nothing has cast me upon the love and mercy of the Savior like being a mother.
Mama654 says
I echo everyone else’s response- thanks for the post. I was in the army prior to having children. I went to Iraq- it was easier than being a parent. But it’s the best job I’ve ever been blessed to have.
Myra says
I love you, Laura! Thank you for the encouragement (as always) and especially for the good laugh at the end there! This one’s a keeper! :)
Sharon Urlacher says
I’m so glad to hear that mine aren’t the only ones to smear boogers on the walls. It drives me crazy. We provide hankies and tissue along with booger lectures from me and still…maybe it should just be their new wall color :-)
Shaela Haney says
Sadly, many parents don’t parent. It’s becoming widespread and it is so sad. I love when parents are parents and don’t pawn their kids on someone else to be raised. It is Gods gifts, He wants us to raise them. Thanks for this post.
Daphne says
I love this part the most:
“It’s much easier to plop the kid in front of the TV to watch shows all day to avoid having to deal with being a parent. It’s much easier to ignore the defiance and bad attitudes so that we don’t actually have to come up with an appropriate discipline for the behavior. Or is it?”
I think if you do things like plop them in front of the tv all the time, parenting is even harder because then you have to deal with the defiance and bad attitudes even more. It’s SO much harder when their older than if you deal with it as much as possible at a young age. I have seen this so much at the school and with people we know that don’t take the time to discipline and that just want to be the cool parents. It’s heartbreaking! I’m not saying I’m the worlds best parent but I put forth an effort!!
Ashle says
HI,
I just really wanted to thank you for posting this. I have been feeling kind of overwhelmed. I am in a weird position as a parent right now and have been feeling ill equipped for the job. I have two very young children and that’s hard for me right now, but your words have really encouraged me. So I thank you.
Darlene says
Thanks so much for this, Laura. Amazing how so many of us needed this today. We have the last of 5 children left at home, our 15 year old daughter,(you haven’t LIVED until you’ve raised teenage girls) and yesterday was a very trying day. Thanks again.
Jenni Moeller says
I love this post! Thanks for the reminders. I too watch my boys sleep at night and it swells my heart with thankfulness to God and quickly makes the days frustrations of that day melt away.
Lynda says
Parenting is definitely one the hardest but most rewarding jobs in the world! I know way too many people who let their children watch tv or play video games every day & I also believe they do it to avoid dealing with their children. Normally by talking to children at school, you can tell who these children are. It’s sad. By no means are any of us perfect parents but we should strive to be!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Angie says
This post was really what I needed to see this morning. My “teenager” and I have been going around and around because… well, she’s a teenager. Thank you for the reminder that we are “much more capable of rocking this job” than I give myself credit for. Rock On!!
Jessica says
Thank you for sharing this! I have 5 small children, and some days I feel completely exhausted before the day begins, and get a little beaten down wondering if what I’m doing all day really “matters.” This was wonderful to read today!
Amy says
I agree that being a parent is a tough assignment, Laura, and sometimes being a home educating parent is rough, too. I wrote about the problem of being perceived as “perfect” (I laugh) here and I hope you don’t mind if I share it with you, from one in-the-trenches-Mom to another: http://vomitingchicken.com/the-problem-of-perceived-perfection/
connie says
hi laura……love this!!
Mrs K says
Yes. Thank you. Your post came at just the right moment in my week. Thank you again!
Tracy says
Loved this so much, I’m sharing it with friends. Thanks for the encouragement!
fruitfulvine9 says
You said it. I can mother all day and night….but no one can be prepared for the day when their angels come out with their own opinions of life, liberty, and happiness. How do I survive the “failures”??
Your post was well timed…and bookmarked. Thank you.
Tiffany says
Yes, yes, yes….is there anything on the planet more sanctifying than being a parent?! : ) God is good!
Vanessa says
Thanks for this. Really needed the encouragement.
Wendy Hoff says
Love this post. And that end comment…ha ha! I’m always trying to get my kids to stop eating heir boogers but every once in a while I think I should be thankful they’re doing that instead of wall-smearing…