Parenting is a battlefield bursting with questions that beg to be answered. Thankfully, many older mothers distribute their wealth of knowledge to the next generation.
In a sea of moms willing to give advice, why are there still so many unanswered questions?
There are three big questions I tend to ask older mothers, and much wisdom to be gleaned from their answers.
1. What do I do?
Holding onto a life dependent on you for survival is a pressure packed scene that warrants a LOT of prayer. Ready or not, when that first cry cracks the silence, parents step up to the soothing plate. The rapid progression of growth greets inquisition at every stage…
“How do we get her to stop crying… to sleep… to eat… to walk… to stop touching everything that’s dangerous…?” The list goes on.
In the rush to reach a point where children are independent enough to stand on their own two feet, advice from every direction floods into our perspective.
I’ll pass on the most prized piece of advice I received when I became a mother. “Take all advice with a graceful nod, and then dump it out your other ear.”
God gives life with purpose, and put parents in position to guide little feet to His. The power to accomplished parenting lies in the practice of prayer.
Listen graciously to wisdom other mothers are willing to pass down, but line it up with the Lord’s will for your life. Allow Him to weave the influence of the people He’s placed around you into His unique walk for your life.
Anytime the struggle is real, pass it to Him in prayer.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
2. What do I say?
“Say nothing.”
Silence. When babies are crying, find a closet. Terrible two toddlers? Good luck escaping them, but do try to lock yourself in the bathroom for a minute before you bubble over. I’ve found solace in sending my big kids out to run laps around the yard.
Children are bewildered by quiet. It’s never the reaction they are gunning for.
In those moments when the discipline to savor silence trumps the sound of my own voice, I’ve been privy to witness God working in and through tough situations. Chuckling at their overdramatic faces while they run around the yard is better for the soul than letting that vein in my forehead pop out and emotion run wild.
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
3. Is it okay?
Each milestone of parenting is littered with celebratory tears. Savoring each stage in thanks and praise yields a grateful, peaceful heart.
Whether we’re ready or not, time is going to keep ticking. We get closer to Christ’s coming with every second that slips by. It’s okay. No matter the challenging stage of parenting, have faith. He will pull us through to the next one.
In all of creation, not one life has been an accident. Not one circumstance has lacked a thread of His good.
Parents, we were chosen… we were called… but we’re not as “in charge” as we think we are. It’s essential to include the Author of life into our daily conversations with our kids. He needs to be present in the pool of advice that wafts through our minds and hearts each day. It’s okay. We will be the parents we are called to b, when we listen for His voice above all others.
“But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.” (2 Peter 3:5)
Publication date: July 11, 2016