In All Things...

So I messed up again today.  Today's was one of those obvious your-not-a-good-mom moments, whereas most days those moments are a little more subtle.  I have them daily, but it really sucks when it's at its full force.  

It took me a long time to appreciate, for lack of a better word, these days.  Beating myself up for my lack of perfection (at motherhood) was a strong suit of mine.  But, I've grown to realize that these are the moments that my girls learn - through my example - that we are all in need of God's grace and forgiveness... That if I did it right every time, in every way, Christ's death would have been futile... or if I pretended that I did it right every time, in every way, there would be no need to rely on Him. 

It would be easy to forget about the moment and move on... To pretend that I was justified in my behavior, or to think that admitting my mistakes would cause them to think less of me as a parent.  But, my hope is that when I ask them for forgiveness they grow in a number of ways.  First, I hope they grasp the importance of seeking forgiveness - from God and from those they hurt.  I hope they learn to forgive easily, recognizing that everyone is in need of His grace and mercy.  I hope they recognize that no one is perfect or even close, especially their parents.  Most importantly, I hope they learn to rely more on Him and less on me.

I'm not proud of my complete lack of restraint on days like these, but I'm thankful for the moments that follow my ugly behavior.  My girls are sensitive souls, but they forgive easily... And they talk about ways we can work together to minimize the chances of it happening again.  Isn't that what family, whether it be literal or metaphorical, is all about?

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.