ORDINARY MOM

I love this picture because it reminds me that we should always be aware of who is following in your (web) footsteps. ORDINARY as they may be.

I wrote this blog on the subject of an "Ordinary Mom" for a blog hop but with my ORDINARY or might I say less than ORDINARY knowledge of such things I was not able to post it to the "Hearts at Home" website.

When I looked in the dictionary, there were several very unflattering words to describe the word ordinary. Words like common, average, non special, run of the mill, and garden variety so when I said the word ordinary mom it took me back a little and caused me ponder this whole ORDINARY thing and what I would write concerning being an ORDINARY mom.

For as long as I can remember, I did think myself very ORDINARY. I joked one time that if I was a body part I could be an appendix, if I was a flower I would be a dandelion or if a bird certainly I would be a sparrow. There is certainly nothing wrong with dandelions, sparrows or even an appendix but then those things are all ORDINARY. But as a mom, I didn’t want to be ORDINARY. I guess because of the importance that I placed on my roll as a mom I wanted to be GREAT, INSPIRING and an example the preacher could use in his sermon on Mother’s Day but I found myself falling way short, in my estimation.

I wanted to lead my kids spiritually but found my attempts to bring a devotional everyday at mealtime usually fell apart somewhere between the spilled milk and the “emergency trip to the bathroom” that someone always had to make. I thought if only I had taken the time to cut out some felt figures to demonstrate the beautiful stories of the bible the kids would listen better. I wanted to pray with the kids before bed but found that many times at night they or I was too exhausted to get it done. I prayed for wisdom to always do the right thing but again failure seemed to plague me. I prayed for my kids often but felt like a failure because I wasn’t on my knees for hours. I remember hearing a story of a woman who actually wore calluses on her knees from praying so long. “Boy, would I love to have that dedication,“ I thought longingly. If my knees were callused it was from mopping up spills off of the floor.

At one point I must have had twenty “How to get organized” books from the library hoping I could be a better mom if I was more organized but I was quickly discouraged when I practically had to take a loan out to pay the over due fines.

Yep! I must face the fact that I was an ordinary mom. No special talents, no special qualifications and no particularly great skills but I did have something that was special. I had a special love, not just for kids in general, not for my neighbors kids or not for kids in far off lands. I had a special love, a calling from God, that was anything but ORDINARY. I loved each of my kids in a way that was tailor-made just for them. God had trusted me to love these children as He loves us all, his precious children. The bible often says he knows us and has known us even before we were born. He knows how many hairs are on our heads and knows our every thought. Surely ORDINARY doesn’t describe our Heavenly Father, and I am confident that ORDINARY doesn’t come to His mind when he thinks of us Moms!

My “kids” are all grown now and I don’t think they probably remember all the ways I failed but I do believe they know how much I love them. And so through my love maybe they got a glimpse at our Heavenly Father’s EXTRAORDINARY love.