When your seven year old comes home from school and you learn that he is testing boundaries there, as he is at home, and you feel helpless in his absence and the weight of the unknown for his tomorrow.
When you're pulled in four different directions as four children are needing and chaos is pounding lies into your head, playing off the message that you've got to have it all together, but you never will all of the time.
And when you determine that you will not be angry as you shuffle each one to a place of quiet and sweep the littlest one up in your arms, plop yourselves on the couch and hold her close. Then offer the other three up because you cannot be in all four places and you just can't reach all four hearts at the same time all of the time.
And you sit there and love on one who is representing all and let the tears flow because all you really want is for them to know Jesus, and you wonder why you don't come to this place often enough.
The place where dry land meets living water and you recognize you will whither without it and you cast your burdens and their burdens on Him because you must believe that He is able to do the very thing that you can't.
Another enters the room and I pull her in close. I open a book and read aloud in a peaceful place, as I hear two more playing separately in the distance, and I know that everything will be okay.
Theresa, that struck so close to home! I've been crying out in a similar manner and finding in the midst of it all that our faithful God loves our children even more than we do! Trust God for mercy and grace along side of you!
ReplyDeleteoh those days...I wrote having a velcro day...just where everything sticks...builds up...
ReplyDeletebeing a momma of young ones is hard...but the very place we are transformed...
Blessings as you love you little ones...
So glad that you found comfort in God's embrace as you held your sweet little ones in yours.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, Theresa. "A place where dry land meets living water..." I love those words.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Joan
Friend. This is beautiful, and, listen: I don't want to make this about me, but I really do understand. My son is almost 12, and we are in a good place (for the most part) right now, but there were moments earlier this year that concerned me to the point that we invited my ex-husband and his wife over to join hands w/ my son, my husband, and me...and pray. You are doing the right thing in praying for your children. I encourage you to continue, also to join hands and pray aloud and specifically for your children, with other mothers. I recently joined a Mom's in Touch International group, and it's really helped me. You can read my post about it, here: http://brandeeshafer.blogspot.com/2011/10/moms-in-touch-international.html
ReplyDeleteYou obviously have the gift of written words: write prayers out for your children and save them, for later. Pray over your children out loud, before they go to sleep. After you discipline them, pray with them. Maybe you are already doing all these things. Just...pray, pray, pray. In every form and way you can imagine. And you're right: everything will be ok.
You're an awesome mom; I can tell. I'm going to follow. Let's be friends!
Where dry land meets living water.. oh, Theresa, you've captured the essence of motherhood in those six words. THANK YOU for the hope. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteoh friend. i felt this so deeply. the longing to be all in all for these children, and yet barely feeling able to breathe. and just wanting, just needing, at the end of the day to know that they will know Jesus... because this is their all in all. you are not alone.
ReplyDeleteMine are older now and this truth you write about rings louder with each passing day - to know Jesus and follow Him is what is most important. So encouraged that you visited me this week. I am just catching up on visiting blogs! Hope you have a blessed weekend.
ReplyDeleteRead your request through Jen. Praying now.
ReplyDelete