Jul 31, 2015

If At First You Don't Succeed

::Go::

What rose in my heart when I saw Kate's word prompt for this week's Five Minute Friday was;

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.


It made me think of parenting.

It made me think of how it came to be that I am the mother of 8 children who call me Mama.

It made me think of how the road to motherhood was paved by a call of God on my life to adopt.  I heard God calling me when I was only 13 and just newly saved by His marvelous grace.  How I had to step out in faith to follow Him into it.

Now I love adoption, let's be clear on that upfront.  It is a call of trust, not just for the money involved, but for all that will come, once that child becomes yours.

Parenting is hard.  It isn't anything that one has practice on before one becomes one.  Sure you can read books, sure you can look to your childhood (good and bad) and of course you can look around and see others who have gone before you in it.

BUT 

you will make mistakes. 

 You will need to try and try again at this thing called parenting.  It is not a one time and done kind of thing.  Each child is their own little person, made in the image of God.  They all have their own bends, gifts, talents and need I say troubles.  We are all sinners who fall short and need to humble ourselves and come again to you to be forgiven and set about right.


In the road of parenting, it doesn't matter if they are homemade or adopted, you will need to keep putting your hand to the plow and trying to till the soil of their hearts while you can.  Trying to reach the broken places, trying to show them the narrow road to walk as they follow the One who made them and has a unique plan for their lives.

  You will try to show them by your own life, by the words of your lips and the actions you take up daily; so as to point them like an arrow at the heart of Jesus.  

Some days it seems so easy, others not so much~ to the point of wondering how you might have entered into this madness you call life.  

But ultimately, we are not the source or the solution for our children, it is Jesus.  So when I empty myself and follow Him, letting Him shine through me, I find success at this thing called parenting.  But when I fail, when I doubt, when I get to the edge and want to jump...well, guess what?  I need to again fall on my knees or on my face and tell God that I need Him.  Tell Him that though I have tried, that still it seems in the natural to not be working.  Tell Him that I need a spirit boost and a soul tune-up.  I call out to Him knowing that my success comes from Him and Him alone.


Lord, you've called me.  Help me to continue to try to do all You have asked of me.  Help me to do it with the right heart.  Forgive me for wanting to quit and forgive me for when I fail so miserably at this motherhood-parenting thing.  I need Your help and I need Your Spirit to love them and to point them to Your heart. In Jesus' name I ask it.  amen.

 Ecclesiastes 9:10

Whatever the activity in which you engage, do it with all your ability, because there is no work, no planning, no learning, and no wisdom in the next world where you’re going.

 
Galatians 6:9 
Let’s not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest—if we do not give up.

  
 Proverbs 16:3 
Commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed

::stop:: 

3 comments:

Patti M. said...

Bless you for answering the call God placed on your heart and opening your heart and home!! You hit the nail on its proverbial head -- parenting *is* hard and it's so important to put God at the center of everything you do as a parent. I am so sure that your home is an absolutely fantastic, wonderful, joyful place and that you are just the right kind of parent your offspring need and want. :)

Denise said...

much wisdom found here.

Anonymous said...

Parenting is indeed a challenge! ...a great one most day (some I want to hide), but a blessing for sure!

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