To My Girls

This morning as I took a bath, my mind wandered to my girls.  It's not rare for this to happen.  Life seems to be passing at a frantic speed, and sometimes I just like to sit, and soak, and try to stop time even if just for a minute.

I try to remember what it was like when each of them was born.  I think about those years of sleepless nights...and by years I mean like 10.  My babies were not sleepers.

 I wonder how I survived that period of time when it felt as though I was never alone...not even when I was sleeping or peeing.  There always seemed to be a little one right there.

But these little ones grow.  It happens so fast.  And sometimes that's nice and sometimes that's sad.  But it happens nevertheless.

My girls are the reason I've started blogging.  I mentioned in an earlier post that I have been challenged by Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.  This idea of living a good story continues to inspire me.

Blogging is one of the ways I hope to share parts of my story and our family's story with our girls. Something they can return to.  Something to help them remember.

When I think about being a mom, I think of all the things I want my girls to know, words of advice and encouragement that I want to speak to them, truths that I want them to grasp...and then I become paralyzed by how overwhelming these thoughts can be.

Will I say enough?  Will I say too much?  Will I say the right thing...at the right time?  Will my actions result in their need for intense therapy in the coming future? (my own mother assures me that we must all accept that this will most likely happen)

This is when I have to stop myself and take a few deep breaths.  Here is where I remind myself that God knew what He was doing when he placed these four girls into our family...even if I don't always know what I'm doing.  I must continue to learn to walk that fine line between doing my best (knowing some days my best rocks and some days my best kind of sucks) and surrendering, giving my girls back to the Father.

So today I'm choosing to not give in to paralysis, today these are the words I want my girls to hear...

To My Girls -- 
My prayer is that your hearts will be captured by Jesus.  Know that He loves you deeply and created you uniquely for a specific purpose.  Be the best you, because no one else can be a better you.

Love well.  Be kind and generous.  Always look out for those on the fringe.  Living the Way of Jesus is not easy, it's messy and hard and confusing...but oddly enough it's where you will find true life!

Remember that as sisters you always have each others' backs.  Friends will come and go, sisters are for life!

Know your heart and have the courage to go after the things you're passionate about.  Be confident enough in who God created you to be, that you can be a cheerleader and an encourager to others around you.

Laugh.  Laugh at yourself, laugh with others, laugh out loud, laugh until you cry.  Laughter is a gift, treasure it!

And when you're not laughing, remember that tears can heal and refresh and bring you closer to the One who loves you most.

I love you girls!  When I look at you, I see God at work.  You are a part of an amazing story.  As you seek the Author in all you do, I have no doubt you will live your chapters well!

Love,
Mom