My Children, My Loves

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." ~Tenneva Jordan

I love my mom.  She is a strong, caring women.  She is calm, honest, patient, loving, and always thinks of others before herself.  She is determined.  She sets her mind to something and it is always accomplished.  She (successfully!) raised three kids and is now helping to raise her grandchildren.  There are so many attributes my mama has that I admire.  She truly exemplifies what I feel, God created mom's to be like.  

As a new mother myself, I often look at my children and wonder what God was thinking in giving these two precious children to me.  I'm not a patient person, I'm not always calm and caring, and I know I don't always put others before myself.  I have no idea what I am doing in this mommy-hood business and struggle in the day to day decisions that impact my kiddos so much.  Many times, I feel as if I live life on a trial and error basis, and when we find something that works, we stick with it.  

I do know, however, that I have been blessed with beautiful kids.  My son has the energy of a fireball and such a great sense of humor.  He loves to laugh and teaches me everyday to find the joy in the little things.  He forces me to forget about my laundry and dishes and to cherish the small moments.  My daughter is such a beautiful little thing.  Her smile lights up a room and her huge blue eyes instantly make me melt.  

Since becoming a mom, I think I am realizing that God has given me these children to become more like my own mom.  I know my mother would argue with some of the attributes that I see in being so strong in herself.  She would humbly say,"I'm not that patient.  I have my moments too".  Maybe this is why we are given children.  To learn how to be calm, patient, loving, and to enjoy the small moments in life.  My kids, I am learning, make me a better person.  A more patient, loving person who now chooses to not take life too seriously.  

I never understood love until I laid my eyes on my kids.  I never understood what it meant to honestly choose to lay your life down for someone.  If I feel this way for my children, how much more is the love of Christ for us?  I can't wrap my head around what Mary felt when she saw Jesus, her son, dying on the cross.  I can't understand why Jesus would chose to live and die the way he did.  I can't wrap my brain around that kind of love, that someone loves me like that.  

Have you experienced love like this?  It's pretty amazing to me, that the love I feel for my children is multiplied like crazy by Christ's love for us.  What an amazing thing.