I'm Sorry...

"God pardons like a mother who kisses the offense into everlasting forgetfulness."
-Henry Ward Beecher

 

"Garden's At Cotswald Cottage" Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan"
By Jean Smith

When our children are young and they've been caught doing something naughty, they get this innocent look on their wee little face and sweetly give their apologies...'sorry mommy...'  What mother wouldn't just grab up that child into her arms and tenderly forgive?  Some offenses may be more minor than others... like snipping up a favorite magazine or snipping at a new dress... bit of frustration either way, but one is by far more serious than the other. 

Well yesterday was one of those days for Evan... my sweet little Evan.  You see, he has taken quite a liking to scissors and every now and then he happens to get this internal inclination to 'snip' away at something. He'll sneak off and just start snipping at things... I have no idea why other than it must be a full moon coming! Well, yesterday he got caught cutting some papers of no importance, thankfully... but it was still the 'I'm sorry mommy'. I tried to explain to him that he mustn't snip at things because he doesn't know if those papers are important or not... like a mortgage note!  He gave that innocent little look that I know and so I reiderated how he must not snip at my papers! He went off with a hug and smile, until next time...

We, like our children do things that need to be made right... and again some are little things while others are major. When we apologize don't we want that unconditional forgiveness... a hug and a smile from the ones we've wronged? A let's move forward and leave this behind us... Of course we do. It isn't difficult for us to forgive our children... but what about our spouse... or a dear friend... or a co-worker... it's not always so easy to forgive those offenses. Yet it is necesary for all involved so healing can take place, for both the offender and the offended.

Isn't that the way our Heavenly Father is with us? As we come to Him with a sincerely repentant heart and ask forgiveness He gathers us up into His arms and cast's that offense into everlasting forgetfulness.  Our hearts desire should be to grow into this kind of love and remember that "...as far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."  Psalms 103:12

Until next time,
Jean
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I See The Moon and The Moon See's You

Last night little Aaron comes and takes my hand, pulling it and gesturing for me to come with him. So of course I drop everything I'm doing and go with my little sweetie.  He takes me upstairs to the big hall window and points out and says in his little language 'the moon'.... Oh how my heart just about leapt out of my chest... I love that little man so much.  You see, I have always told all my children that I love them all the way to the moon and the stars... and back again.  Even though Aaron is only two, he knows how much mamma loves him.  I grabbed him up and just hugged him and he hugged all the way back, giggling that he showed me our 'love moon'. 

"How much do you love me mommy?" Evan likes to ask... "Well don't you know?" I ask because this is what he wants to hear.... "Nope... tell me mommy..." "Oh my... I love you all the way to the stars and the moon and back again, that's how much I love you Evan!"  Eyes twinkle with delight and the little five year old arms get thrown around this mommies neck along with a bunch of kisses...

A mothers love knows no boundary... it's as vast as the wide, open ocean... as big as the endless sky... as free as the wind...

a poem... 
"Mother's Love"

"Her love is like an island
In life's ocean, vast and wide,
A peaceful, quiet shelter
From the wind, and rain, and tide.

'Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the west,
By tender Counsel on the south,
And on the east by Rest.

Above it like a beacon light,
Shine faith, and truth, and prayer;
And through the changing scenes of life,
I find a haven there.
    - Author Unknown

Love is free to give... love is free to have...
Until next time...
Jean 

 

The Love of a Mother...

Their smiles... their tears... watching them while they're sleeping...
I love to watch them when they have no idea... their care free spirits... their realness...

I wonder if they could ever imagine the love that overflows in my heart for each of them...
I wonder if they realize that their souls are intertwined with mine...
When they hurt I hurt...
When they laugh I laugh...
When they long I long...

Sometimes the frustrations we feel as mothers can be overwhelming... sometimes we just feel like giving up... then you look into their eyes and the heart pull is so strong.

Sometimes it seems useless and they just will never learn or understand...

I watched him this afternoon outside... he didn't know I was watching... his strong hands playing with the dog... his smile and jolly demeanor... his sensitive nature for all creatures...

I watched him today walking through the yard... looking around for his brothers... he is growing so fast and becoming a man...  in between little boy and big boy...

I watched him today as he strode up the stairs... manly and strong... so handsome... quiet natured and deep... I have always said that deep waters run silent... that is his soul...

I watched her today as she drove away... a young woman she is becoming... working her way in the world... trying to find herself and know herself... she is so tender hearted and warm, yet with a wild streak...

When I look at them and watch... my heart wants nothing more than to protect them from every harm in the world...  to just make them listen to me and trust what I tell them...
Then I remember myself when I was that age... experience

Prayer is a mothers weapon... it is our ever trust worthy weapon in this war fare for their souls...  We can never give up praying, trusting the Father... praying that hedge about them...

"Love is unselfish, understanding, and kind, for it sees with its heart and not with its mind.  Love gives and forgives; there is nothing too much for love to heal with its magic touch.  Love is the language that every heart speaks, for love is the one thing that every heart seeks.  And where there is love God, too,will abide and bless the family residing inside."  Helen Steiner Rice

Until next time,
Jean

Little Boys and Puddles...

"Hey! Now there's a puddle!"
 

What is it about little boys and puddles?  No offense to little girls out there, I'm sure they are somewhat attracted to them, but I believe puddles call out to little boys!  As most of you know, we live on a farm with five boys, and with this farm comes a lot of mud ~ and I mean a lot!  I remember when Kyle was just about Evan's age (5) and we were at a friends house.  It was raining and then cleared up... they lived on a farm too ~ with mud. We were washing dishes and there were our two little boys holding hands playing ring around the rosie... in a puddle. Yes it was absolutely adorable and I grabbed my camera and took several black and white photos that now adorn a very cute scrapbook page in Kyles album. It was too cute... even after we hosed em' off and gave warm baths.  Little boys...

Yes Ethan & Ryan have had their mud puddle events as well and many happy memories have been made in puddles... Evan and Aaron are in the making of these memories now too. I don't really mind, after all they are boys and they like mud and dirt... and puddles.  What amazes me though is how they can stand to be so wet and dirty... I haven't figured that one out yet... not even after five boys!  What are memories that you have with your children? What are the memories they are making right now?  I often talk about memory making... I think it because I like to journal and scrap book... all memory things.  I love the idea that they can go back into their scrapbooks and 'see' the memories. 

I love my children so much and I realize they will have many memories... I wish I could say just happy ones, but we are only human.  The good come with the sad... As a mom I wish I could protect them from every hurt that could ever happen to them... keep them under my wings and shelter them from the storms that will come in life.  I wish I never had to try and explain why something isn't good for them... that they would just trust and obey...

Trust and obey... I need to set the example of trusting and obeying my Father... showing that in everything I have put my desires before the Lord and sought His guidance in every decision that needs to be made... Oh to be able to do that faithfully... through my example I pray for each of them...

Until next time,
Jean