Older women... (2)

...to love their children.

"Motherhood can be both exhilarating and exasperating."

"Our perspective of motherhood should not be defined by our diverse experiences and fluctuating emotions."

"It's in the midst of the trials and challenges of motherhood that the command comes to love our children. Once again the Greek word phileo is used to describe the kind of love we are to show. As with our husbands, we are to love our children with a tender, affectionate, and passionate love."

"No profession requires harder work or greater sacrifice than motherhood."

"Because mothering requires constant sacrifice, the temptations to resentment, complaining and self-pity are always close at hand, But such selfishness will quickly sap the strength of our love for our children."

"As mothers, we have a choice. We can either resent the challenges and demands that accompany motherhood and persist in our selfishness, or we can draw from God's grace and receive His help to cheerfully lay down our lives for our children."

"Our only genuine source of refreshment comes from God."

"If Jesus needed to withdraw frequently and pray in order to receive His Father's help and strength, do we suppose we need such times any less?"

"In our effort to enjoy our children, we must never become tolerant of sinful behavior or lenient toward worldly compromise."

"Far better that children should cry under healthful correction, than that parents should afterwards cry under the bitter fruit to themselves and children, of neglected discipline." -Charles Bridges, 1846

"The avoidance of discipline is an expression of hate, not love." (Prov. 13:24)

"We naturally want our children to like us, to approve of us. However, we must never allow this desire for our children's approval to control our mothering."

"Are you inclined to think of your children as: work, responsibility, sacrifice, burden, more work?"

"The psalmist used words to describe children: heritage, fruit, reward, arrows."

"Our speech and actions are shaped by our thoughts."

"What is the ultimate purpose of a phileo kind of love? It is nothing less than the salvation of our children's souls. This is the chief end of mothering."

"No one has more potential to influence our children to receive and relfect the gospel than we do as mothers."

"'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness' (2 Cor 12:9); So if today you missed opportunities to show a tender love, or if you neglected to pray for your children, or if you were impatient with them, and even if you lost your smile and feel like a complete failure as a mother--take heart! God's grace is sufficient for you."

Marg's words: more excerpts from Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney.
As I think back to when our children were small, we made lots of mistakes, but one of the hardest things to endure was being criticized by others for our choices in raising them. I've never understood why we can't support one another as parents and just know that most of us are simply trying to do the best we know how at the moment. Even now, as the majority of our children are teenagers, there are certain unbiblical attitudes and actions that we cannot allow in our home. Others might think we are harsh in our handling of situations, but usually they don't really know the dynamics of our home. One goal we have is our desire for our children to please the Lord in their choices, not just pleasing us.
Parenting is not an easy thing, but the rewards are worth it. I just pray we can lift each other up and encourage one another. I know there are certain individuals who have helped us tremendously in making wise parenting choices. We need to not be afraid to share our burdens and concerns with each other.