The Mothership

I feel like we all have varying degrees of where we are in our walk with the Lord. Some of us have been following Him for years. some have been questioning Him for years. Some are boldly living a life committed to loving others well. Some are pressing into new giftings that he's so richly blessed us with. Some of us love to be good people. Some of us are looking for any opportunity to bring God's Kingdom. And some of us haven't taken the unknown step of having Him in your life. And some of us just don't even want to bother. But guess what...God still loves us.  No matter where we are in our walk, God still loves us. He is about connection and relationship. He is a Father with wide open arms no matter the cost or the energy or the effort. God loves the prodigal son/daughter feeling rejected by all the things they've "done wrong." God loves all those beaten down and told so many lies of their self-worth. God loves the child seeking and que...

I'm really good at comparing myself to others and then putting myself down and belittling my efforts.  It's really easy for me to get stressed about what others are doing with their kids and then feeling like I need to as well.  So I thought I'd make of list of comparisons as to what is REALLY important to me and what is not. Reading to my children is important;      getting my child to read before Kindergarten is not. Having enough is important;      having more than I know to do with is not. Playing with my children is important;      playing an organized game with many objectives for learning is not. Keeping in touch with people is important;      updating Facebook incessantly is not. Feeding my children is important (preferably healthy food);      feeding them homemade, everything from scratch, ALL THE TIME is not. Sleeping is important;      sleeping 8 hours is...

I sit realizing I'm staring at a family whose child is having a meltdown of the century.  The Mother looks up and realizes I'm staring, and what do I do, I smile.  I smile because I've been there before...maybe not right now, thank God, but probably 40 minutes earlier.  I walk away with my children in tow and find myself wondering for that Mother. Does she know I smiled at her out of EMPATHY because I can relate so well?  Or does she think I smiled an uncomfortable smile covering up some judgement I'm making in my head?  I hope she thinks it's out of Empathy, because it was, it really was.  I never know what to say in those situations, so I end up just smiling and removing myself from the situation because I would want fewer spectators if my child were having a tantrum too. But how often do others actually need to hear support from other stranger Mothers?  Maybe more than I'd like to admit.  I also am guilty of judging others, because who does...