Just between my mom and I, we call them Lucky Charms moments. Well, Mother and I and now you.
The moments when you have your own little mommy meltdown. You know, the ones like mine yesterday, when you have a four year old running around still half naked after being told several times to put on underwear, the oldest taking twenty minutes (yes, that's 2-0 minutes) to put on his shoes and socks, and everyone just isn't heeding anything you say? Well, mine ended up with me on the floor with the "toothbrush alarm" still going off on my phone, the deadline of the school bell ahead, and myself blubbering in a big mommy pile of mush because I just can't take it.
You know, those moments when you think that surely, somewhere along the line, you failed to do, say, or think of some key thing that has completely ruined your children. The times when you've reached the end of the rope, and holding on is impossible.
Normally, our bible study group is very bible-focused, with a lot of great theological discussion. A little life experience makes its way in, but we do a lot of staying on topic and learning more about the bible than I ever have, and I love it! But today, it seemed that all of us had carried the small-children frustrations too long.
Our mommy stores were spent, and we all desperately needed refilling.
Just about every other mother in the bible study group was having the same kind of week.
When we came together today, fresh faced as we could on a Thursday morning at 9:30, we began to look into the lesson. It was on Deuteronomy 6 and 7, Moses' last exhortations to the Israelites before his death. You know, comparing it to how important it is to give our children a heritage of faith... of trusting, believing, and allowing the word to seep into every part of our lives so that we shepherd them in His comfort and peace.
No pressure.
As Moses' words came off the page, over the dams of our hearts flowed the fears and desperation and desire for our precious babies to know Him. Of how hopelessly far short we fall.
It came not in talking about techniques, books, and articles on parenting.
The comfort came in admitting. In understanding. In talking about our perceived failures, our sharing of how this happened and how we were sure at that point we must be the worst mother ever, and how we're so concerned about our children growing healthy and happy and kind and strong, and in the process, we didn't get much bible study done.
No, we didn't get many of our homework questions discussed. But sometimes taking the opportunity to live out the parts you already knew is more important.
Mother by mother, story by story, confession by confession, we traded our fears for encouragement of the other ladies, some who are there, have been there, or will be there soon.
The study didn't prod us into talking about these things. This moment didn't come pre-packaged with bells and whistles and the latest look. There was no multimedia presentation, no famous speaker, no specially hand crafted platform based on the previous year's numbers. There were no tear-jerking songs, no special lighting, no emotional manipulation, no enticing entertainment hook.
This moment... this special hour of women finding a safe place to share, to receive encouragement and understanding... came with the gathering of women who came to seek God through his word. And God's word never fails. It is powerful. It doesn't need to be polished or primped.
It just needs to be opened by a willing, ready, believing heart.
We only finished four questions of the study itself. But all of our discussion was right on topic. Better than on topic, it was wind in our sails. No, it hoisted our sails and then filled them. It was wonderful to see the gospel in action this morning, all these hearts ministering to one another. No judgement, no condemnation. Only the sharing of experience and hope.
And kleenex. We must have kleenex.
Thanks be to God for the ladies of the Thursday morning bible study at Redeemer.
The moments when you have your own little mommy meltdown. You know, the ones like mine yesterday, when you have a four year old running around still half naked after being told several times to put on underwear, the oldest taking twenty minutes (yes, that's 2-0 minutes) to put on his shoes and socks, and everyone just isn't heeding anything you say? Well, mine ended up with me on the floor with the "toothbrush alarm" still going off on my phone, the deadline of the school bell ahead, and myself blubbering in a big mommy pile of mush because I just can't take it.
You know, those moments when you think that surely, somewhere along the line, you failed to do, say, or think of some key thing that has completely ruined your children. The times when you've reached the end of the rope, and holding on is impossible.
Normally, our bible study group is very bible-focused, with a lot of great theological discussion. A little life experience makes its way in, but we do a lot of staying on topic and learning more about the bible than I ever have, and I love it! But today, it seemed that all of us had carried the small-children frustrations too long.
Our mommy stores were spent, and we all desperately needed refilling.
Just about every other mother in the bible study group was having the same kind of week.
When we came together today, fresh faced as we could on a Thursday morning at 9:30, we began to look into the lesson. It was on Deuteronomy 6 and 7, Moses' last exhortations to the Israelites before his death. You know, comparing it to how important it is to give our children a heritage of faith... of trusting, believing, and allowing the word to seep into every part of our lives so that we shepherd them in His comfort and peace.
No pressure.
As Moses' words came off the page, over the dams of our hearts flowed the fears and desperation and desire for our precious babies to know Him. Of how hopelessly far short we fall.
It came not in talking about techniques, books, and articles on parenting.
The comfort came in admitting. In understanding. In talking about our perceived failures, our sharing of how this happened and how we were sure at that point we must be the worst mother ever, and how we're so concerned about our children growing healthy and happy and kind and strong, and in the process, we didn't get much bible study done.
No, we didn't get many of our homework questions discussed. But sometimes taking the opportunity to live out the parts you already knew is more important.
Mother by mother, story by story, confession by confession, we traded our fears for encouragement of the other ladies, some who are there, have been there, or will be there soon.
The study didn't prod us into talking about these things. This moment didn't come pre-packaged with bells and whistles and the latest look. There was no multimedia presentation, no famous speaker, no specially hand crafted platform based on the previous year's numbers. There were no tear-jerking songs, no special lighting, no emotional manipulation, no enticing entertainment hook.
This moment... this special hour of women finding a safe place to share, to receive encouragement and understanding... came with the gathering of women who came to seek God through his word. And God's word never fails. It is powerful. It doesn't need to be polished or primped.
It just needs to be opened by a willing, ready, believing heart.
We only finished four questions of the study itself. But all of our discussion was right on topic. Better than on topic, it was wind in our sails. No, it hoisted our sails and then filled them. It was wonderful to see the gospel in action this morning, all these hearts ministering to one another. No judgement, no condemnation. Only the sharing of experience and hope.
And kleenex. We must have kleenex.
Thanks be to God for the ladies of the Thursday morning bible study at Redeemer.
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