I
was shopping for groceries a few days ago and had a most trying
experience. I just needed some milk and a few little things. Long story
short my daughter started climbing up the cart as my back was turned.
The next thing I know she is screaming; the cart and groceries are on
top of her. A nice grocery clerk and I get her unburied and she refuses
to walk. She has a bruise on her hip and her foot seems to be swelling.
Mom and daughter cling to each other, talks of a lesson learned are
tongue biting moments away from spilling out of me.

I quickly
decide we have all we need and head for the check out stand. As I am
standing in line holding my daughter the cashier states she is so
jealous of me. I take a step back ..what? She says she wishes her
daughter would still cling to her like mine was to me. I told her what
happened and she said some times the sweetest moments are blessings in
disguise, a bad thing turned good. I was, until that moment, thinking
what an awful mom I am and how embarrassing it was that I let my
daughter get squashed by the cart, as well as a bit of "why can't she
just listen and stop climbing on things?"

It took a stranger to
show me the blessing of a my daughters squeezing tight hug. It took a
stranger to remind me that it is a precious thing to be needed in such
a way. To be the one a child turns to for safety and comfort. To be the
one she can run to even when she has done something wrong and gotten
herself hurt. I can only hope and pray that I, her mom, will always be
the kind of person she can turn to and cling to and receiving the
comfort and loving support she needs. But as I think this thought I am
also struck with the knowing I, one day, will not be enough and she
will need to learn to cling to her Jesus even tighter than she clings
to her mommy!

I thank God for the trying moments when all seems
to be going wrong and nothing seems to be able to help except that
strangling tight hug from someone you love and who loves you back
enough to squeeze and hold on to you tight!

I thank GOD for
giving me kids to show me how much he loves me. That he wants me to run
to him, confide in him. He wants me to strangle him with hugs daily. He
desires to be there when I have messed up, yet again, to brush me off
and lift me up. He is my big daddy Jesus.

That day in the store
I was doing all I could to hold my tongue and not take out my
frustration on her, telling myself she needs to learn her lesson not to
climb. I now realize that the first thing in God's mind is not "did you
learn your lesson?" He does not get angry with us when we fall nor is
he embarrassed by us. His love is so much deeper and wider than that.
His response is more like this "Are you ok, come sit on my lap and be
comforted." Lets talk about what we can learn from this so you won't
get hurt again." God is love and we can learn so much from him how to
parent our children. I know I did that day. I did not hold my tongue
out of my desire to be a good parent. It was because God placed people
around me to keep me from spilling out what I would have regretted
later. The clerk who helped me unbury her, and the cashier whom
reminded me of my blessing, my daughter gripping me as her life line!

My
daughter was fine once we got home and the swelling I thought I saw was
gone. She had two bruises, but would live another day. We talked about
how she should never do that again. We hugged and hugged some more and
another day of learning how to be the mom God desires me to be was
lived.

God bless all mommies out there. Help us Lord to see the
big picture. Help us to cherish each hug and giggle. Lord let us not be
quick to anger or blame. Let us not take out our frustration with
ourselves on our little ones. Please Lord give us the ability to bite
our tongues when they desperately need to be bitten. And give us your
words and mannerisms when there are things we need to teach our
children. That they may learn from us the things that matter. Things
like trusting in YOU! Things like patience really is a virtue! Things
like Hugs really do make everything feel all better!

Amen in Jesus name

Praise GOD!

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