Not A "Do It Myself" Kind of Mother

Being a mom has been the greatest challenge of my life. Truly. I love my kids so much, yet I fail to provide them with my very best on a regular basis.

While this would be a great time to beat myself up, I refuse to do so. The Lord doesn't condemn me, and He doesn't want me on a frowny-faced guilt trip either, so I press on. I pray. I read His Word and other books written by people I respect. And I ditch the crinkly forehead and frown wrinkles, even if I have to pop a tylenol and eat a square of dark chocolate. I digress.

One of the books that I'm reading right now is Your Girl by Vicki Courtney. When I'm finished, I'm going to read Your Boy by the same author. I think one of the reasons I like her books so much is because she "speaks" like my brain thinks. If I could afford it, I would buy one of these books for every single mom I know. That's how good it is.

Anyway, this morning I was reminded of a story she told about how her daughter got to the "I Do It Myself" stage. She said she would've preferred "I love you, mommy" over those words any day, but nonetheless, her daughter's independence was proclaimed on a regular basis. Then she turns the statement back around to us as moms.

Why do we sometimes pull the "I do it myself" routine with the One who could help us do it better? Vicki writes,

"Those of us who have 'I do it myself' attitudes often have a hard time asking God for help. When it comes to mothering, it is impossible to 'do it ourselves.' The best mothers are those who admit that the job is far too big to handle alone. They lay their inadequacies at the foot of the cross and rush to His throne for advice. When their children stray from the path, as they often will, faithful mothers cry out to the Lord in groanings too deep for words. They trust God to draw their children's wayward hearts back to His paths. He is, after all, their Creator."

I've never ever EVER told God "I do it myself." I know better. But each time I manipulate my children, lose my temper, or shove my head in the sand to avoid the issues, my actions are proclaiming my independence and stubbornness with Him loud and clear.

I need my Papa's counsel to raise my kids. He'll give it to me when I ask. And no matter the results, whether things go the way I hope they will or not, I'll trust that He's working, that He loves my children more than I ever could. He is the only One who can honestly say, "I do it Myself." So I pray I'll be the kind of mother, and daughter, who gets out of the way and lets Him do it.

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD."
1 Samuel 1:27-28