Change the World, One Mother at a Time

How I've Been Blessed By the People Who Come Alongside Me as I Parent. 

Adela and her Abuelita at Christmas

​I glanced at the news and didn’t know whether to wrinkle my nose or bury my head in my hands. I know it has been said, but I will say it again, “What is this world coming to?”
 
And, “What can I do?”
 
The truth is, a lot of our cultural problems could be solved with good parenting, but, if the mom’s of today are anything like me, they are living in survival mode. They make decisions day to day, moment by moment, with full heads, bruised hearts, and exhausted bodies. We need help.
 
I think about the amazing women who have become “mothers” to me. Each have their own sweet styles of coming into my life and helping me. If you are a woman (or a man) in the more mature generation and feel drawn to helping young parents cope, I need to give you two very happy thumbs up.
 
I have found myself incredibly blessed by the advice and love of others as I parent. Especially in these ways:

1. Someone to listen to me. Having someone hear out my often-silly venting has been vital. After a nice chat I feel human again and often my problems aren’t as large as I thought they were when I kept them all in my head.
2. Someone to share their story. I love hearing women tell me what they went through during my age or season. Suddenly I am free to laugh or cry about it all because I am not alone.
3. Some to encourage me. They might have to dig but having someone outside my home tell me that I am doing a good job means the world to me. It is even more precious when the praise is specific. It helps me find direction in my parenting and helps me draw courage for what else will come at me that day.
4. Someone who loves my children. I am not a very relaxed or spontaneous soul. Without the more easy-going interactions with their grandmothers, my girls would miss out on a different flavor of love, one that is vital. Whatever personality a mother has, often a grandmother brings something precious into the equation and enriches their life.  
5. Someone to mourn with. What saddens a mother’s heart can be difficult to understand, especially when it is specific to a child’s journey. Unless we have others in our life to share that, we have very few people who can emphasize with the pain.
6. Someone to give advice. I get defensive to advice almost always. That is awful of me, but it is because my first thought is that I am doing something wrong. However, when the people I love are gentle and come to me with facts out of love (not out of the need to control my life) I find that I not only receive the advice, but am willing to give it a try.  
7. Someone to love. I love getting a chance to help others once in a while. My love language is "Acts of Service". Nothing fills me with happiness more quickly than getting to do something for someone else. Plus, it reminds me that I am still a capable adult instead of a struggling homemaker.

 
If you want to change the world, change the life a mother or father. Come along side their journey as they do God’s precious work. We don’t need someone to do it for us, we need someone supporting our hearts and sanity as we move forward. And, we need the maturity, wisdom, and life perspective of that older generation to bring us out of survival mode and into joy in the journey. 
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A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25, NIV

 
Is God calling you to move into the life of a young parent?

​Is He asking you to let someone into your life who might support and strengthen you?

When it comes to learning about loving others, this book will blow your mind and help you in all your relationships.