With All My Understanding

My two oldest boys and I had eye doctor appointments today after school was over. When I walked in I started filling out paperwork on each of us and asked that they just sit still. Of course, Evan my 12 year old is holding a paper airplane. It's his new obsession. I told him that he had better not fly his paper airplane in the doctors office and even gave him the side eye that I meant business. I stressed that if I saw it fly then he would be grounded from making paper airplanes for life (the extreme consequence offered was to counter the extreme desire to fly that piece of folded paper). Within a few minutes, he said "Look, Mom! It landed in Gunner's hair." My response... "It landed?" He quickly pulled it from his little brothers hair and stood very still. I went back to filling out forms.

I never actually saw the plane fly so I just gave him the side eye again for a second to check to make sure he wasn't throwing it. After we all had our exams, I was standing and waiting to check out when out of the corner of my eye I saw the arm motion that could only mean he was projecting his plane forward. As I turned with my mouth open to scold him and say "you're grounded" the plane exited his hand, swooped, and landed in his other hand. So, my mouth said nothing and instead I picked my jaw up off the floor. He had somehow folded this piece of paper so perfectly that it was more like a yoyo than an airplane.

Was I upset he disobeyed me? Yes. Did I get onto him? Yes. What my first reaction one of awe and wonder? Absolutely. So the words that eventually came out were, "That's so cool! Sit down." We later had a talk about obedience but I also thanked him for showing me what he could do. He amazes me. I sometimes don't know what to do with his uniquely, perfectly creative mind and I need help at times understanding him.

See, my boy, with all his talent and creativity, struggles. Between having two different types of auditory processing disorders, concept imagery disfunction, and being legally blind in one eye; he often feels like... less. The world makes him feel that way and there are probably many times that I do as well. The gifts God gave each of my children amaze me and certainly being mother to 5 children with such differences between them all, shows me exactly how individually special we are to this world and there is great purpose in that. Difference is important and unity is important. Being all the same, that is not what we are created to be.

...to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself is more important than all burnt offering and sacrifices. - 2 Peter 1:5-8

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this cones from the Lord who is the Spirit. - 2 Corinthians 3:18

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I had read the scriptures about going from glory to glory as abovd above just before reading the 2 Peter scripture.

If we are to become more and more like Christ each and every single day, being changed from moment to moment, then not only am I to love my God, my Savior, with all my heart, mind, and strength but I am also to love my children in such a way. The part of the 2 Peter scripture that truly touched my soul was "with all your understanding". Where my children are concerned, I have a deep, deep desire to know more about them, the way God sees them. My dreams and aspirations for my children do not compare to those our Father has for them.

My prayer as a mother has changed over the years, covering them as the needs arise. As they grow older and approach the age that I begin to see the transition into adulthood, I begin to pray more and more for their future selves. God is very revealing in prayer and is ready to speak to us about our children. In the moments I have asked for guidance and understanding with all my mother heart, He has never failed to give me what I need through His gentle whisper and His Word.

If you too have a desire to spend more time in prayer for your children, gaining strength as a mother, to develop understanding, and to learn how to love their uniqueness while nurturing their spirits, join me here. Join me in prayer, as we pray for our children and pray to become the best mothers we can be to the souls God has trusted us to raise up.

Father God,
Show me how amazing my children are.  Help me to look past what the world sees and see Your creation in all it's glory.  Help me to see what you created as perfectly designed for Your will.  My children are human, yes.  Lord, You know every mistake they will make, You know every mistake I will make.  You hear my worried heart.  Lord, I will be the best mother I can for my children.  I will fight for them in prayer and I will come to You for understanding.  I realize that is all You expect of me and I ask that You be sufficient in every area of their lives where I can not be.  Help, me to begin to see that not only are my children, my babies, but they are Yours as well.  You have no grandchildren and so, my desire for them to be adopted into your Kingdom as my brothers and sisters in Christ is great.  Help me to understand the depth, length, height, and width of the significance of this great adoption.  Lord, I ask that You help me to show my children their difference because they are different and that is what makes them special to You.  Thank You Lord for Your great love.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.