Mother’s hands are used by God to nurture us until we reach His heavenly embrace… and a mother’s prayers are her most effective weapon.
I’m am thinking of a couple of moms that I want to remember today for different reasons. One is a young Mom who I came to know last Spring through an event at our church. Her prayer request during an alone time together was to have another baby; she already had a young son but had lost other babies by miscarriage. This Mother’s Day, a year later, she has another beautiful boy to love, nurture, and enjoy. This young woman’s heart cry and faith are inspiring, I enjoy seeing how she delights in her gifts from God. (Be inspired by reading Hannah’s story I Samuel 1 and 2:1-26.)
The second Mom that I want to commend, is someone whose son I’ve interacted with regularly. He’s a considerate and caring young man, generous and giving, and his employer seems to notice this as well. He is being recognized for these character qualities; the compass within, causes him to work with and manage people well. I observe here a young man with a mother who made motherhood her priority. He, in turn, was able to take what she gave him and made some good choices for his future.
Both of these adult children have mothers who’ve nurtured and invested in them, prayed for them, and now they, in turn, will invest in their children. So, how have they been prepared and equipped to do this well?
When I meet a young person like this, I consider their background and upbringing; their shaping influences. I like to look behind the curtain of someone’s life, finding out who it was that nurtured, prayed for, and invested in their life. The values and views, and the good example this child grew up under doesn’t happen by default; diligent effort went into this child. They receive a compass–a guiding tool that is calibrated during these early formative years and it’s what they’ll use later to set their own course in life. I like to call it their compass; the inner sensor that points them in a certain direction.
As a child, I had a mother who nurtured me in many ways while busily running the farm with my Dad. I’m thankful for their prayers and the God-compass they guided me toward. When I consider where I could have ended up, I dread to think of it! Thankfully, I was guided toward a relationship with God, my Heavenly Father, and have received huge dividends. I am grateful.
I’m thanking God for my Mom (and Dad) on this remembrance weekend. Parents are not perfect, and without the help of God none of us would do rightly. God can take all of the wrong and make it right and use it for good; it’s a promise He makes to those who love Him (Romans 8:29). Be thankful, grateful, seek God and see how He will write your story for His glory.
Photo Credit: Google Images, private
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and the glory of children is their fathers. Prov. 17:6 (ESV). Life is Beautiful is one of my favorite movies. The setting is WWII Europe, this story is based upon a true account of a father’s protection of his son while incarcerated in one of Hitler’s death camps. It demonstrates a parent’s creative wisdom used to protect his child from harm. I admire the fortitude and inspiration of this father.
parenting contains three stages generally: Control, Motivation, and Inspiration. If the goal throughout each stage is to glorify God by obeying His teachings, we will succeed even with our failures along the way. Parenting is used by God to gain humility in our lives and a bountiful path for our children’s feet. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalms 119:105 (ESV)
CONTROL is the beginning stage. When we look at NASA sending John Glenn to the moon, we realize that without a Control Center, success would not have been achieved. They needed calculated thinking from the brightest math, technology, and engineering minds to reach their goal; parenting involves Control Center principles as well. So let’s view it in this sense for the purpose of this writing. During these early years, parents are the critical thinkers, responsible for godly algorithms that produce success rather than sending their child into a trajectory of poor choices, confusion, and the resulting consequences. Children need controlled guidance in gaining contentment and security in their family. A loving family where the parents give vision, provide stability and take responsibility for decisions is a good foundation to build upon.
The MOTIVATION stage involves encouragement in the right direction, choices and decision making, requiring good management skills by the parents. This still involves some pulling upward toward a goal and some pushing into the correct lane. Rewarding good behavior is involved, as well as consequences for disobedience. Positive motivation is best. When we assume this position we focus upon the good things we see that can be further developed, rather than what is lacking.
Nancy Demary 