Don’t Forget to Love Yourself on Mother’s Day

By Cassandra Moton

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I’ve been a mom for 23 years now, and still… on occasion… I get it wrong.

Last week our youngest complained about not feeling well. My first thought? She was trying to get out of school. I knew her homework was due the following day. I told her to go back to work. She didn’t have a fever.

I told her she was fine.

Fast-forward two hours later and the vomit is coming non-stop. UGH!

Yep, mom of the year right here. I have made so many mistakes over the last 23 years as a mom. I’ve said the wrong thing at the wrong time. I’ve done the wrong thing and even assumed the wrong thing. But what I’ve learned to do, over and over again, is to say, “I’m sorry.”

I’ve become an expert at admitting my mistakes and asking for forgiveness.

Motherhood is HARD

Motherhood is a 24-hour a day, 365 days a year job. There are no vacation days. There are days when you are counting down each minute ‘til bedtime. Days filled with piles of laundry, lunches to make, and you feel more like the family Uber driver than anything else. And you still must make dinner and help figure out homework.

But then there are the moments which fill your heart to the brim. The moments of laughter and silliness watching YouTube videos together. The moment when you encourage your child to be brave and ride a bike without training wheels; watching their heart fill with pride as they pedal down the street as fast as their little legs can take them. The moments when your child turns to you for comfort and love after a hard day at school. The quiet moments together simply sitting at the park.

The moment your child says, “love you, mom.”

Motherhood is complicated. Even though there are a million books on raising kids, there is no one way that works for every child in every family in every circumstance. There is not a checklist to follow to guarantee you get it right every time. Most of the time, we are all just winging it as best we can, trying to pour out as much love as possible into every little human around us. I pray they know, more than anything else, they are loved unconditionally by me, but more importantly, by God.

Don’t Forget to Love Yourself

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Love drives us. Love keeps us going through the sleepless nights with a newborn and again with our new teen driver. Although our love wants to protect our child from hurt and pain, we cannot.

But we can love. We are there for them, no matter what.

We do our best to love in every moment and in every circumstance.

We bandage every scratch.

We dry every tear.

We hurt with every heartbreak.

We walk alongside our children as they discover for themselves the darkness of this world, and then cheer them on as they reach for the stars.

You are the giver of love.

So, on this Mother’s Day, as you pour out your love, take a moment with God and remember how much He loves you. Allow Him to fill you with His love.

Psalm 23:5b-6 (Read all of Psalm 23 here)

You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

You will make mistakes just like I do, but be assured, God loves you, and He loves your child. Even in our mistakes, He is with us and with our children. Nothing can ever change that.

Keep practicing the words “I’m sorry.”

Keep pouring out His love.

You are an amazing mom!

Happy Mother’s Day!

For some, Mother’s Day may be painful. Maybe you are struggling with infertility. Perhaps you know someone who is struggling with being childless and don’t know what to do or say? Or maybe there is some other way you feel left out this mother’s day. We want you to know you are unconditionally loved too, even as this holiday may bring you sadness or mourning.

Would you like to pray with someone?