Parenting is probably the hardest task God has ever placed upon me. One of the reasons why I feel this way is because parenting is 24/7, non-stop, and never ending. You rarely catch a break and even when there's the slight chance of a weekend getaway or a date night it comes and goes so quickly you feel like you barely had a moment to catch your breath. There are days I've left my home and wondered if I've brushed my teeth or put a bra on (excuse me for the honesty). Don't get me wrong I am blessed, truly. I have three beautiful kids that I wouldn't trade for anything (even though there are days I've thought about it).
What gives me strength to carry on each day is that God is faithful to help in my times of distress and mommy breakdowns. His grace is sufficient. On the days where I feel like I've had parent fail after parent fail I have a loving husband who wraps his arms around me and supports me and God does the exact same.
The love about 24/7 parenting is that without fail those little rascals are bound to teach you a lesson or two. Here are four lessons my kids have taught me about parenting and honestly, I'm still learning...
1. Patience
Of course! No need to expound on this one because every parent reading this can give a loud AMEN.
2. Selflessness
Before marriage it was all about me. Then marriage came and I was then gifted with the care of my husband. I cooked, cleaned, and washed his clothes and all those wonderful tasks that came with marriage. Not too bad, I could handle this. My husband and I were married almost 8 years when we found out we were expecting our first child. It was as though the earth shook and it rocked our world. We always wanted children but time came and passed and nothing ever happened then one day we both thought we were going to faint (more my husband). No more midnight shows at the movie theater, no more trips on a whim, no more selfishness because we now had a beautiful little girl who needed us. Then one became two and two became three. I have now said goodbye to sleep, naps, heels on a every day basis, and my full-time job. I'm not complaining at all. In fact, my husband and I after our first decided we want to have two more and one right after another. We asked for this knowing it was going to be hard and difficult. Those little human beings taught me a great deal about how selfish I was and sometimes I still am.
3. Intentionality has value
Everyone has good intentions but not everyone puts those great intentions into action. I'm a goal orientated type of girl. I'm constantly reading great articles and books and thinking about how I can implement this in our home. My husband and I have even had date nights where we've specifically sat and discussed what we'd like to do or be as a family. My kids have taught me that being intentional is important and even more importantly is following through.
4. Unconditional Love
I've always heard that God's love for me is unconditional. It is wholehearted, unreserved, unlimited and unquestioning; all synonyms of the word unconditional found in the dictionary. Now that I have children of my own I'm understanding that kind of love. No matter how badly my children may have hurt me or disappoint me (and if you haven't experienced it I'm sure you will) my love does not waver. My children have taught me true love. Thanks to God who sent his only Son (John 3:16) He's the perfect example of true love, selfless love.
The lessons I've learned and learning from my children are endless. These four just happen to be knocking on my door on a daily basis. So in your journey of parenting know you aren't alone. If you are married lean upon each other for support. You can also find great support groups through your church or organizations like MOPS. Most importantly lean on God. He's the ultimate example of all these lessons plus more and He wants to walk with you through it all.
*Photos taken by my hubby. For more visit www.mitchidol.com*
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