Give Yourself Permission to Take the Time

#18 Grandchild came into our family on January 27th. Miss Jaylee Mae Gardner and I was so thankful to Julie Kaye for making this experience open to her sisters. Babies are the greatest gift God gives to us. He trusts us to nurture & care for them while we truly come to understand the power of Love.

And each one of these precious souls are so perfect. Beauties to behold......much like their mothers were to me. And yet the hardest lesson in mortality that we mothers have to learn is to "Give ourselves permission to take the time."

It's the hardest lesson for women. Especially when they have been as active, involved and busy as my daughters have been.

Oh if the vision & years of my growing motherhood could rest sweetly into the mind of my daughters it would be the greatest gift I could give them right now. Life with all it's pressures seem to weigh down & consume our hearts and send us into emotional orbit. Babies DEMAND that you sit down & hold still and busy women just don't get it! As the time clock of life ticks forward for me, I long to bring peace into the weary souls of my young mothers of two. How I wish I could give them 40 years of my experiences and gift to them the spirit to settle their restless souls: "Peace, be still." Don't worry about to morrow, don't concern yourself with what "might be" and burden yourself with "I can't!" Just be still & treasure this moment in time. Allow the spirit to calm your spirit and fill your potential. Just take one minute at a time. Poopy pants will change, screaming children will sometime sleep, and things out of order will find there way back into place........sh-h-h-h-h......it's okay! Everything is really alright! And God has given you the power to handle this minute in time right now.

I've watched all three of my daughters grow into priceless women. Strong, righteous, full of faith & vision.....but stopping their life to love being a mother has been difficult. They are always saying, "Mother, how did you do this with 7!" But somehow they don't hear my answer: "One step at a time, one day at a time......always praying and learning how to listen." My wish for them is what I could go back and wish the same thing for myself 40 years back. But I too had to learn the same lessons God is teaching them right now.

"Quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep, I'm rocking my baby, 'cause babies don't keep!" That's the poem that was between the two bedroom of my 4 boys......years before my daughters arrived. God was trying to help me understand that my motherhood was the greatest gift I could every enjoy.......so I'd better enjoy it.

So sweet daughters of mine: You started your motherhood 8-10 years later than I did so you have more expectations to quiet down. But be patient with yourselves. Enjoy the moments you have with your little ones! Take down your rulers of expectations & thinking you have to do and be everything to everyone around you.....neighbors, the church, friendship groups! Your little ones grow up much too fast. You will someday hunger to hear the words, "I want my Mommy!" Your arms will ache to feel their hug and catch their tears. And some day these little girls will be asking you, "How did you do it Mom?" Then you will smile and say, "It's okay darling. Laying down your life for your children has nothing to do with the delivery table."