I love being a mom. It is quiet frankly one of my favorite roles in life, next to being a daughter of the King and the wife to my loving husband. Motherhood is, by far, the most grace-growing, humbling, refining, and life-giving call I could ever imagine. And I am abundantly grateful.
Our daughter is on the cusp of being 11 years old. She is a spit-fire of a redhead. She fights for unborn babies, defends friends who lack confidence and seeks the Lord daily to help her navigate through these tween years. Our son is now 13 years old, and 100% teenage boy! And I love it! He is opinionated and compassionate and finding his way in this world. He, too, clings to the hem of our Savior’s robe. Together my children lead me to the heart of our Lord through their everyday exploits.
But this is not a tale of parenting these two loves today; it’s a story of my daughter’s first day of life.
The last trimester of my pregnancy had been trying. I was filled with emotion, experiencing medical complications, and generally anxious over our new family dynamic. My aunt had come to stay and help me in the last few days of pregnancy. I was having an increasingly difficult time managing a household, entertaining and two-year-old, and encouraging my husband in his new job all the while on bedrest. Her presence was so needed and helpful. Her job was to entertain and perform the care and keeping of Max. What a blessing!
I had grown used to our sweet family of three. It was neat and tidy, and we had become like a well-oiled machine. My excitement did mount as I imagined myself the mother of a daughter. I would no longer be the lone-ranger of a woman in the house and would finally have a mini-me to tag along with and do girly things. (Thankfully she has fully lived up to all those expectations!)
The long-awaited day came. Her birth was planned to the minute. No harried rush to the hospital. All of us, including our then toddler, Max, were prepared to welcome our newest family member!
Her delivery was seamless, she bounded into this great big world with a head of red hair, bright blue eyes and an expression of determination on her sweet, cherub face. The moment was laced in the perfection of the Lord. My husband and I rejoiced in the beauty of our new baby girl and gave thanks for our healthy daughter.
Enter Max. As many mothers will attest the anticipation of a toddler child meeting a new sibling can be a bit ambiguous. After months of preparatory excitement, who knows what the first meeting will be like. To our delight it went off without a hitch.
See, Max has a gift. His gift is encouragement. Real Jesus encouragement. The words that come from his heart give life. The kind of life that makes you feel loved and needed and purposeful. And honestly, the day of my daughter’s arrival I was filled with mixed emotion. I was elated and delighted and overwhelmed by love for this new precious gift; but I was also riddled with guilt. I had just, inadvertently, changed my only child’s life forever. He was overjoyed!
Max carefully climbed into my hospital bed and ever so gently cradled his new baby sister’s head in his tiny hands. He kissed her forehead. And then, he looked up to me with all eternity in his eyes and exclaimed, “Momma, you the best momma I ever seen!”
My eyes swelled with grateful tears. Honey to my soul! Those words have played over and over, like the sweet sound of a familiar song, in my heart. I have traversed motherhood with his simple remark as my anthem. His words gave life. In the throes of dirty laundry, frazzled and sometimes unkind words, tight schedules and the tasks of everyday life, the Lord continues to use Max’s words to encourage my heart. I can recognize that, while I may not be the best momma in the world, I am undoubtedly “the best momma [he has] ever seen.”
My admonition to you precious momma, YOU are the best momma for your child. You are the ONE who the Lord created to love that baby well! You are doing His will! Be blessed in knowing that the call you’ve answered comes from the Father of all creation and He sees you as able!
“Taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:8B (ESV)
Article Written by: Samantha Ewing
