The Did I Question For Moms
Two of them are mine.
Two of them slept over.
This reminds me of the time when I heard someone say, “You only have 18 summers with them”.
With our oldest son, we only have two summers left before he heads off to college. I would be lying if I didn’t say I hope he stays close to home as we begin to look at colleges soon.
I remember talking to “seasoned” moms or listening to mentor moms at MOPS meetings telling me things like, “enjoy them while they are little, they grow up way to fast, or before you know it they will be leaving the nest”. I remember thinking when they were 1, 2, 2, and 3 that the growing didn’t seem to come fast enough.
How I regret those thoughts. I look back and wonder if I did everything as a mother that God asked me to do for them. Did I give them a good foundation to build their own house upon? Did I instill in them a confidence that they are who God says they are not what the world around them wants them to become?
Did I do this?
Did I say that?
Did I love them enough? Did I show them love enough?
Did I…Did I...Did I…
It scares me to think if the answer is no, yet I see their eyes and hear yes.
Those two girls will be mothers of their own some day and they will have other moms telling them what they told me, that they grow up way to fast or to enjoy every moment when they are little, including their own mother. Then they will look and find their oldest with two summers left before he is an adult and may ask the same questions I ask myself today – Did I?
Our kids are the best things that happen to the hubster and me. Nothing as idols in our life, but an everlasting love for a human life that you carried, birthed, raised and will soon let go. You begin to see God’s goodness and faithfulness in it all.
Our kids mold us and shape us into the human beings we are today. They remind us to ask ourselves – Did I love enough? Did I encourage enough? Did I allow myself to dream big dreams?
They are a big part of who I am as a mother. I am proud of that. No way have I lost who I am or my identity, but if I can give four kids into this world that are bible-believing, Jesus-followers, that do the Word, then we have given the single most important gift we can give back to God – Christ-believers. If that is what I am known for, if that is what God put me on this earth to do, if that is where my identity is found, then so be it.
But God has more.
More for you and more for me. It is time for us to reach beyond ourselves into something greater. God has more for us to do. When much is given, much is required. God knows our hearts; He knows our passions because He put them inside of us.
We never finish the race of being mom or dad. We finish parenting at one point only to find us running a different race. A race we pursue with all our heart and soul only this time we have a team of people supporting us along the way.
Are your kids growing up way too fast?
