Image © Pash Photography at Flickr.com
As we grow up our kids, we grow up ourselves.
We begin with the best of intentions, vowing to be the best parents we can possibly be.
We will lead them to be good, kind children, full of faith and joy and love.
And then, they become toddlers, little mirrors of ourselves, and we see a little bit of ourselves in them.
That first time they stand, tiny feet firmly planted, one arm akimbo, the other with a finger wagging ominously at the teddy bear who apparently misbehaved, voice raised in harshness, and we cringe.
We have grown into that parent, that person we vowed we would never become?
Ouch.
And then, we see another glimpse, a different day, as they gather their beloved bear into their arms, comforting, tenderly stroking his head, and kissing his nose, and telling him that he’ll be ok.
And we realize that growing up children is hard work and while we give it our utmost, we must give ourselves room as well to grow, to learn, to fall and get back up, to focus on the good, and remember that God’s grace and forgiveness is for all of us, child and parent.
Every Friday I join Lisa-Jo over at The Gypsy Mama for her Five Minute Friday prompts. It’s an opportunity for each of us to throw caution, grammar and spell check to the wind as we whip through a quick five minutes of a topic, just straight from the heart to the head to the keyboard to you.
Join us if you like!
Love this …”we must give ourselves room as well to grow, to learn, to fall and get back up, to focus on the good, and remember that God’s grace and forgiveness is for all of us, child and parent.” Nice thoughts!
Thank God that He rains grace down on parents! Daily spoonfuls to ease the journey.
Thank you for this post Kim, I liked it!
Amen! Looks like we are of like mind today in our posts!
hi neighbor…oh yes…in our children…we see our best selves and our worst selves…and I so agree and it took me a long time…to be patient with myself as I grew…
Blessings~
Thanks for stopping by, ladies! It is always such a joy to visit each other and see what we had to say.
Eileen-thanks for the kind words. I find it hard to live by them more often than I care to admit!
Felicia-“Daily spoonfuls of grace”. Nicely said! He provides us with just what we need, when we need it.
Lori-I laughed when I read your comment. I thought the same thing!
“growing up children is hard work and we while we give it our utmost, we must give ourselves room as well to grow.”
I needed that little bit of grace today! Thank you.
How hard it is to watch someone we love grow through the mistakes but how necessary.
Stacie-You are welcome, and thank you. I am always humbled when my writing touches someone else.
Tracey-It is hard, isn’t it? I was just sharing with another parent how difficult it is to let go and let our kids grow through their mistakes. After all, if we don’t let them fall, how will they learn to stand back up?
Twitter: jenfergie2000
says:
This is beautiful. It is full of words that I so needed to hear today, in this moment. Thank you.
Jen, Thanks for coming by, and I am so glad that you found refreshment here.