Aren’t these two something?
I love my two kids with all my heart!
And yet I tremble when I think of the task of training them to know and love God. I’m better at sharing my faith with my dear friends or writing on my blog. I just feel so weak and unqualified. I’m an encourager at heart, not a Bible teacher. I can’t remember the stories of the Word, but I can remember the practical applications. Thankfully!
Raising kids is hard. My failures are no secret. Especially when my kids were younger and I was still knee deep in my own woundedness. Wow, I wasn’t a happy mommy. They felt it.
My kids see me as is.
In the morning without my coffee.
At night when all I want is shut down and sleep.
They see me high and low.
Joyful and sad.
Angry and glad.
Laughing and crying.
They see the real me.
As is.
And that idea used to cripple and depress me. But not today. The enemy has stolen my joy for far too long. I’m learning to lean on God more and more. To live in the moment. With my weaknesses still there. This is where God wants me, running to Him for rescue and strength. I’m designed to need Him. Every hour, everyday. I can’t parent without Him. What relief!
So I ask God for His grace and wisdom to live out my faith right here at home. With joy and passion and a light heart! During the everyday, ordinary grind! Especially now during spring break while my kids are home all day.
I have a choice. Today I choose life! I want to enjoy my kids while they are still under my care. And the fun part about today is we are expecting our first real snow. A blizzard even. Maybe over 10 inches in a few hours. So far, nothing. Sunshine even comes off and on. Strange. So we wait with expectant hearts. Watching the snow come down is such fun when you don’t have to go anywhere.
Bring it on, Lord! My camera is ready!
**************
“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” Psalm 34:11(NIV)
Oh, I heard that you were getting snow. How exciting but hard to imagine as I look out my window at the sun and of course, warmer temps. But then I remember that you grew up in Arizona so you know.
Tiffany, I love that you wrote that you have a choice. You do! Choose to focus on today. We can’t go back and undo the past but we can choose to love and live today. You have such a caring heart and a love for your children. BTW, they are adorable, cell phones and all!!!!
I love how God fills in our gaps. He makes the rough places smooth.
When I went through my pit w/ anxiety and depression, I ached for who I wasn’t and the enemy was calling me “bad mom”…I clung to the promise of God restoring what the locusts had eaten, and He has!
I held his hand so tight during that time in my parenting. It so happens that is when Kayla went through so much, but daily He helped me, and has answered my prayers for her to stay pure for her husband. And He called her into ministry with kids!
I know it’s nothing short of a miracle! She was so prone to wander into places that weren’t good for her. We had many battles, but victory in them all (He always leads us in triumphal procession…)
My motto for parents of teenagers is that it keeps you on your knees, and on your toes (constant alertness)!
God bless your beautiful family!
Enjoy your snow and your precious time with your kids! It goes so very fast! If I could relive it all, I’d do it in a second–mistakes and all.
Snow during spring break! What a change!
Thank you for this post… it is one that has encouraged me. Sometimes I feel like such a failure in living the Christian life for my kids because they live with me… they see me when I am tired, cranky, irritable, and just plain worn out and need time alone by myself… I need to remember to excuse myself when I am that way, go to my closet, spend a few minutes with my Lord, allowing Him to give me the grace and strength to be the mommy He has called me and created me to be…
Thank you so much!
Blessings!
What a beautiful and very transparent post dear sister. Many of us can relate to at some point in our lives as we raised our children and those who are still raising young ones and for some of us who have both adult and teen children.
Parenting is both a blessing and at times a challenge but follow as Christ leads and pour into your kids what you can and pray pray pray for them.
Love you.
Isn’t it amazing (and somewhat terrifying) to see our kids transition from children to young adults. Good thing God is in control! I am so sorry about your snow situation! (It sound like you are looking forward to it.) I can’t wait for warm sunshine!
When I lived in the Springs, I always heard ‘if you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes.’ I love watching the snow, just not driving in it. I never went to the top of Pikes Peake. I am not sure why but I loved seeing it. The Garden of the Gods was a favorite spot. I have pictures of trees there. Your kids are very cute. I believe you are modeling Jesus more than you know. It is an uphill battle with all the things they see in the world. God hears our prayers for our children. He will honor yours Tiffany.
This is purposeful living that is real to the core…the heart of the matter!
It is NO coincidence that I was sitting here at my computer working on my session titled Even Mommies Make Mistakes and I am led to come read your blog!!! God is so amazingly awesome….like He is WAY super cool…I just love Him…and you Tiffany because you shine Him so brightly!
Thank you for posting a picture of your beautiful/handsome children…I love to see proof that us momma can make it to the teen years…heheh!
I love how you said, “I’m learning to lean on God more and more. To live in the moment. With my weaknesses still there.” Yes, He is our refuge and our strength. My husband and I have had to learn to live within the moment, today. Because of open-heart surgery he had in Dec. 2006, his life, our lives, changed forever. He has post-pump syndrome, which occurred during the surgery. His long-term memory is not good at all and short-term memory, not the greatest either. God’s grace has truly covered us. Live within today sweet Tiffany. Don’t let a day go by without embracing every aspect of it, and above all: Praise Him, honor Him, glorify Him, give thanksgiving to Him, worship Him and let Him be your all in all.
I loved your post. You seem like such a wonderful woman in the Lord. Stop by and visit me at my site. I will greet you with open arms.
God bless you,
Alleluiabelle
Tiffany,
I just loved this post. It spoke straight to my heart as a mother. I think an extra serving of grace is the only way to make it through. In some ways parenting gets easier as our kids get older and in other ways harder. As your delightful pictures shows…we need to savor those silly moments and treasure them.
Your children are blessed to have you as their mom.
Bring it on! I think I’ll make that my new favorite quote!
I dare the devil… God is on my side! As such, the devil can NOT win! I seek my Father God’s refuge and strength in Jesus’ name!
Big Fun Job! and…it doesn’t stop with the kids, then there are grandchildren and other children that weave in and out of your lives. I think honesty is the best policy with them. If I am in tune with my feelings and tell them, then they are usually especially understanding and loving toward us as we them.
It’s when we are grouching and don’t know why that things get upset around here.
Speaking of that, we are on our way to Texas to help Jim’s family as the parents have been put into assisted living. It is sad but had to be done. We are seeing a precious friend of ours, an old boyfriend of our daughter and he was one of the youth that we led to the Lord as Jim and I led a youth Bible study group. He still calls us mom and dad and insisted we see him too because we included him as many others in our lives.
You never know, this is 20 years later!
Hugs to all, Tiffany, good post, the kids are growing soooo big sooo fast! They are too cute in this picture.
What wonderful words these are. As a father to two young children, I’ve learned that they would much rather see me for who I am, faults and all, than led to believe I am some sort of superman.
That doesn’t stop me from putting the cape on from time to time. But it sure does help me take it off when I come to my senses.
Thanks, dear Tiffany, for sharing your innermost thoughts about parenting. As a mom with married daughters, this even helps me to accept myself with my mistakes. Parenting is such an awesome responsibility and we always want to do it just right, but fall short. Like you, I lean on Jesus.
Love,
Mary
You paint a rich portrait of how we all feel at times with our children, but as I read your words and hear Luther singing his song in the background, I believe that we parent with all the confidence of heaven as our backing.
You’re doing a good job mom. Keep to it. It is your most sacred trust.
peace~elaine
Tiffany, I actually thought of you when I was writing “Are you looking”. I love your pictures. As far as parenting your kids… yes, you are an encourager which means you “inspire with courage”. en=in and courage=courage. In other words, you cause your kids to be “in courage” to face life as it comes their way.I remember times of thinking I wasn’t doing a good job with my girls… I couldn’t have loved them more then and now… and now they thank me for all the prayers and love and discipline and they are now teaching their own children the love of Jesus. Be encouraged that your are encouraging them through the gift God has made you to be. Have a great Sunday!!!