One of my sweet daughters doesn’t always think I’m much of a mom. She thinks it would be better not to have a mom at all, or perhaps to go to heaven and be with her “real mom.” She thinks I’m not attentive enough and that I don’t respond quickly to her needs. I don’t take her shopping enough or cook her favorite foods.
The list is longer on some days than others.
Then there are the days when I’m the “best Mom in the world” and she loves me “the very most.”
Now when those critical moments come, Deborah suggested that I say,
“I’m the best thing that ever happened to you.”
I smile just thinking about it.
But let’ s make it one significant step better. How about this,
“Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to you, and He chose me to be the very best mom for you.”
I think I can run with that one.
We’re not perfect moms, but we love our children and we’re doing our best to heal their broken hearts. Let’s all give it a try. Let’s speak the truth out loud to our children — because Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to our kids, and He chose us to pick up where their first parents left off. They need us more than they may know.
~Lisa
so good…as always.
by the way, you are pretty amazing mom!
Wise words. Thank-you for that perspective. LOVE it!
I needed this today….we have moved from the"honeymoon" stage, to the I should get everything I want when I want it, bigger, better and NOW~!!!!
I was really unpopular yesterday!
Sandee, it's a good thing that popularity is completely over rated!
Love that. I'm sure it's not easy for you to hear the criticism from your girl. Thanks for being willing to share – You put the perfect spin on Deborah's suggestion.
I am SO taking this and running with it! I've got one of those little girls, too. Love this! You just made my day!
Paula, you just made mine! I hope it works for you.
Love it, Love it! I tell them that God placed them in this family for a reason. Loving them when they are not loveable is hard, but so important.
Perfect! I'll be using that one!
I am so totally using this! Our girly could stand to hear it daily at this point….
I tell my girls that God ordained them to be here other wise they would not be here. They are right where they are supposed to be and we always need to glorify God right where we are at no matter how hard it is or what we may be going through. Yes we wanted them here and we obeyed God by opening our hearts to receive them into our family, so we have obeyed God, now it is their turn to obey God and offer up the very best that they have to God also and together with each other and God we will walk together doing and giving God the very best we have to offer. I also tell my daughters when they struggled to have a mom and a family that I understand that they don't know what it is like to have a mother and that is my job to teach them and it is their job to learn.
sorry it made me split the comment
I asked them "you prayed for a mom and dad and a family right? God answered your prayer and now you are going to turn your back on it and not accept the gift that God has given to you?" Making them understand that they too have a job for God. That this isn't something that was done to them but that God is walking them through and no matter what they are to offer God their very best. I have also told them that when they were in the orphanage that God had a work for them and they had completed it and now He has a new work for them and it is to learn how to be in a family and obey your mom and dad for while he is helping you to learn how to do this he is preparing you to do a greater work than you had done before. This ministered so much to their hearts and to their minds. They have grown so much in the last 6 months is amazes me every single day. I hope and pray that this helps someone today:)
Christina
Excellent. And I was just having this exact conversation w our M yesterday! Thanks fir this as always! Parallel lives…such a comfort
Thanks for a very wise post. I wanted you to know that I featured your blog on my blog the other day. A lot of people from our adoption message board stop by my blog and I wanted to make sure they know about you. Here's the link to the post:
http://balladoption.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-favor...
I have to say – I could never say "I'm the best thing that ever happened to you". It sounds so wrong to me. I may be a good thing – but I don't think I could feel at peace saying that. With your modification though, the way I see it totally changes and I like it much better. Thanks for seeing the change that needed to be made and sharing it with us all.
Christina- thank you for sharing your experience! Lisa- I think you have my son's twin! Honestly, those words could and do come out of his mouth regularly. It really is good to hear from other moms and families working through the same challenges. Thank you!
Great quote. Thanks for the modification.
I'll be using that.