The Mom I Hope They See

Oh, my girls. 

How dearly I love them. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about my role as their mom. 

What kind of mom do I want to be? 

What are things I want them to remember about me? 

What do I hope they ingrain deep in their memories, and what do I hope they slowly forget? 

And while I'm still (and will forever be) a work in progress, here are some things I hope they see:

*I HOPE THEY SEE ME LOVING OTHERS WELL. 

Serving others, meeting their needs, filling in the gaps. I hope they see me reaching out to help those in need both globally and locally. Listening, protecting, encouraging others-- being a good friend on a daily basis.  I hope they realize that this is important and have a desire to serve others even when it's not necessarily the easiest or most fun or most convenient thing they will ever do. 

*I HOPE THEY SEE ME BEING HONEST. 

I want to be the kind of mom who says the same things behind closed doors and out in the world. I hope they see me sticking to my convictions regardless of the circumstances. I hope they know that I mean what I say and say what I mean. 

*I HOPE THEY SEE ME FAIL. 

We all fail sometimes. It's part of life. But, how we handle failure is what separates us. I hope my girls see me fail with humility and a good attitude. I hope they see me laugh at myself and try again. I hope they see me rely on Jesus when things get hard....which they will...often. 

*I HOPE THEY SEE ME LOVE JESUS.

I hope they leave our home one day knowing that time with Jesus is crucial. It doesn't just happen. We have to make it a priority and stick to it. We have to realize that it's a NEED, not just something nice we sometimes do. I want them to know that the nearer they draw to Him, the happier and more fulfilled they will be, regardless of the circumstances. 

*I HOPE THEY SEE ME PERSEVERE. 

Some things in life are worth fighting for. They are worth losing sleep for. They are worth crying over. They are worth hanging in there for even when things are anything but fun. I hope my girls can tell the difference between what is worth fighting for and what they should let go of. I hope they can say that I never gave up when it really mattered. 

*I HOPE THEY SEE ME HAVING FUN.

There are so many things I don't do well. I get frustrated and mad, I'm terrible at waking up on time, and sometimes cereal for dinner is just the best I can do. BUT, I do fun well. And I hope they notice. 

What do YOU hope your kiddos see in you? 

Do tell. 

And I hope you're having a great week. 

It's been beautiful here lately-- Mississippi generally tends to struggle when it comes to the changing of the seasons, meaning we usually get about two good days of spring before we plunge face first into summer. I've been trying to make the most of it while it lasts. How are YOU gearing up for summer? Working on our summer bucket list and gearing up for all of the goodness that the end of the school year tends to bring with it. 

Happy Thursday to you and you and you!