I forgot to take my son to dance today. He’s five. He loves it. Our conversation went like this.
Mom, “Jaden, I’m sorry, I forgot to take you to dance today. I’m sorry, bud.”
Jaden, “That's okay, we can go tomorrow.”
“No, they don’t have it tomorrow; we have to wait till next week.”
Jaden, "Why I have to skip dance?"
“Cuz your mom forgot.”
Jaden, "I should said, 'Mom! Dance!"
You know, when I do these types of things I can settle into Mommy guilt fairly fast. I mean, not only did Jaden miss going, but I paid for it anyway, and the teacher wondered where we were.
Sigh.
But that’s what Grace is about. Christ didn’t come so we could be perfect, and beat ourselves up about it. That’s living by the Law, not by Grace.
Of course He wants us to keep growing and striving to be more like Him. But we’re gonna mess up.
Repentance is good. I apologized to Jaden and I’m gonna try not to miss it again. I ask God for forgiveness when I mess up (time and time again). But after repentance, guilt isn’t from God. It only drags us down if we continue to beat ourselves up. And what use are we to God (or to our kids for that matter) if we are walking around beat up?
God loves me. And that loves overflows to my kids and others around me. Well, that’s how it’s meant to work anyway.
My name is Carey. I’m a Mom. I’m not perfect. And that’s ok.
I hear ya! I forgot one of my kid's soccer practices this year because I had a tennis match. Before my husband let me go down the "guilt road" he reminded me that we are much harder on ourselves then the kids are (usually). I have a right, too, to have some downtime (true, but I need that reminder) and that sometimes — maybe not a 5-yr-old of course — our children need to take some of the responsibility in their schedules. Hmmmmm. . .true. I really think, as my children get older, that *we* are more dedicated and care more then them. . .they just move on. We? We wallow and re-live, and go back. . .my children are constantly teaching me to look forward, move forward, tomorrow is another day. Grace is a wonderful gift.
Oh boy, have I been there! I've had to ask my kids' forgiveness so many times – especially for things I've forgotten to do in all my distractedness. What a great reminder of God's grace and love toward us! Thank you, Carey!
Excellent! I was listening to someone speaking about grace and mercy on the radio today and this blog entry seems to be a confirmation! Thank you.