M is for Manicure

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Teresa

M is for Manicure.

Our hands will never be the same.
Worn for use. Not worn out. Worn for love.
Holding countless memories.

Purposed for caring, serving, teaching, comforting, loving, all-things-mothering…
We hold newborns. Caress little hands. Wash little bodies. Squeeze knees and pat backs. Blow kisses. Wave passionately hello and good-bye. Clap – hard and loud. Wash and scrub. Cook and clean. Pick up and put down. Color and paint. Teach and train. Mend and build. And drive at least a million miles.

As we look at our hands, we see worn.
Holding us in His hands, God sees love - for Him and for our children.

Thank you, God, for this precious way that You have purposed our hands.

M is for Moments

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Teresa

Moments.

They’re fleeting
yet, they last forever in our memory.

The way she rested her head on our chest when she was sleepy.
the way he breathes heavy when he’s concentrated on a project.
how tightly he held our hand or clung to our leg in public.
when they reveal the surprise before it’s time because they just can’t keep it in!

Moments.
Often we’re taken by surprise, simply:
a hug, a kiss, a smile – just because.
a comment that expresses thoughtfulness for another.

Moments.
Glimpses, as we see who they are becoming:
through what they overcome,
what they determine to accomplish,
difficult decisions they make,
how they handle a loss or disappointment.
when we see them moved, even changed, by sadness or difficulty in someone else’s life.

Moments.
A glance,
a thoughtful call,
a thank you that says so much more than ‘thank you’.

Moments.
Surprises to us, never to God.
God sees the heart. He knows what’s brewing, what’s growing… and He gives us sweet moments.
Moments to savor, to be encouraged, to know we are loved, to delight, to know we are doing-what-He-wants-us-to-do-even-when-we-don’t-see-results, and to be thankful.

Thank you God for the countless precious moments that make up being a mother. Each is uniquely given to us, by You. Thank You for loving us this way.

M is for Ma-ma.

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Teresa

Remember the first time?
Over and over again, I rehearsed it, smiling into each baby’s face, “I am Ma-ma. Ma-ma. Can you say it?”

Then it happens. Baby says our name – our new name - reserved for her or him.
“Ma-ma”.
A sweet sound. So personal. It designates us for a unique relationship.

And as our children grow, so do their language skills – and so does the number of times they say our name.

“Momma…momma…momma…momma…momma…”
They’ve proven they can say it as many times as necessary until we respond.

“Momma, Ma, Mom, Mum, Mother, Mommie, Mummie, Mmmmoooommmm!!!”
It begins most questions, statements, complaints, exciting news, whines, pleas, and tattling.

Some days we think we’ll go crazy if we hear our name one.more.time.

Then time passes.

For some, our relationship is estranged. We haven’t spoken with our child in a while. We pray to hear our name across her lips again one day.
For some, it’s a yearning that will not be fulfilled in this life, as our child has gone to be with God.

And for some, our children have grown up and moved.
These days, we get just as excited as we did when they first said our name.
“Hey, Momma.”
Only now, it’s all the more sweet and personal, representing years of building a unique relationship.

Thank you for the unique name You have given us to hear on our children’s lips. Thank you, God, for the privilege to be a mother. Amen.