This post has been in my "drafts" for over a year. I'm not sure why I left it there but I'm publishing it today.
"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says: I'm possible"
I read that phrase as I was leaving a 2nd grade classroom. It reminded me of the quote that was on the bottom of a district newsletter. The quote was about courage and I'm going to have to paraphrase.
Courage is being afraid to get on the horse, but saddling up and getting on anyway--John Wayne
Both of these quotes got me to thinking about being a mother. Being a mother takes courage, and even though in my Mother's Day blog I wondered if I had made an impact in my children's life (maybe some of you mothers of teen-agers can empathize with me here and will understand what I mean), I know that I have. Sometimes the impact was good, and then other times the impact will give my children an opportunity to make a notation in their own "What Not To Do" parenting book.
In my work and calling at church I see courageous mothers all around me.
There is the mother who advocates for her special needs child and researches all available programs to make sure her son isn't left behind.
There is the mother who takes on the "establishment" of public education and refuses to let them tell her what is best for her child.
There is the mother who cares for her son with cancer all while trying to work, keep up the house, and care for her other children.
There is the mother who continues her education so she can provide a better life for her children.
There is the mother who is a college graduate who made the decision to stay at home with her children. She doesn't listen to those who ask "Why do you want to waste all of that time and education by staying at home?"
There is the mother of teen-agers who is brave enough to let her children exercise their agency, even when she can see where the choices might lead.
There is the mother of two small boys who keeps things going on the homefront while her husband is deployed to Libya.
There is the mother who refuses to let the abuses she suffered as a child define how she will parent her children. She tries every day to learn how to be loving and nurturing even though those things do not come naturally to her.
There is the mother who is not afraid to apologize to her child when she realizes that she jumped to conclusions, disciplined without hearing the whole story and really messed up.
Those are just a few examples of courageous mothers. I know there are so many more courageous mothers out there. But there is a difference between being courageous and being a superhero. A courageos mother recognizes that she is not going to get it right every time. She is willing to try even though she knows it is going to be extraordinarily hard. A courageous mother recognizes that she doesn't parent in a vacuum and is glad for the help, Godly help and humanly help. A superhero gets it right every time and doesn't think anything is hard or scary. A superhero doesn't ask for help because s/he believes s/he can do it all on her/his own.
A superhero is a fictional character. Mothers are very real.
I'm proud to be a mom and I don't want a cape.
In my work and calling at church I see courageous mothers all around me.
There is the mother who advocates for her special needs child and researches all available programs to make sure her son isn't left behind.
There is the mother who takes on the "establishment" of public education and refuses to let them tell her what is best for her child.
There is the mother who cares for her son with cancer all while trying to work, keep up the house, and care for her other children.
There is the mother who continues her education so she can provide a better life for her children.
There is the mother who is a college graduate who made the decision to stay at home with her children. She doesn't listen to those who ask "Why do you want to waste all of that time and education by staying at home?"
There is the mother of teen-agers who is brave enough to let her children exercise their agency, even when she can see where the choices might lead.
There is the mother of two small boys who keeps things going on the homefront while her husband is deployed to Libya.
There is the mother who refuses to let the abuses she suffered as a child define how she will parent her children. She tries every day to learn how to be loving and nurturing even though those things do not come naturally to her.
There is the mother who is not afraid to apologize to her child when she realizes that she jumped to conclusions, disciplined without hearing the whole story and really messed up.
Those are just a few examples of courageous mothers. I know there are so many more courageous mothers out there. But there is a difference between being courageous and being a superhero. A courageos mother recognizes that she is not going to get it right every time. She is willing to try even though she knows it is going to be extraordinarily hard. A courageous mother recognizes that she doesn't parent in a vacuum and is glad for the help, Godly help and humanly help. A superhero gets it right every time and doesn't think anything is hard or scary. A superhero doesn't ask for help because s/he believes s/he can do it all on her/his own.
A superhero is a fictional character. Mothers are very real.
I'm proud to be a mom and I don't want a cape.
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