I want my children to be proud of themselves. In my opinion I have gentle, hard-working kids. Since they became old enough my two oldest have always worked a part-time job. They pay their own way almost always, even buying their own shampoo. (That's really their choice, not mine, but they refuse to use shampoo under $5 a bottle, so, they buy their own.) They have always worked hard raising money for their trips. They pay their own cell phone bills and car insurance. Rarely is there much spending money left over at the end of a check, but they seem to make it work.
The sacrifice of me staying home has been huge around here, but they seem to understand how their daddy and I feel about it and help out as much as they can. They have always been quick to tell me they would choose having less over me working and us having more. They don't expect over and above the basics from us but they know if we have it, it is theirs. That goes for now and always.
I want them to be proud of their accomplishments, but not vain. Teaching that is not always an easy job, because living it is not easy. Because of our sinful nature, vanity is easy and humility is hard.
Never more so for their Mama than this weekend. I found myself struggling to my innermost depths not to be vain about my children. Pride was seeping out of my pores over my girls.
Y'all know that this blog is my journal to record the goings on around here. There was much going on this past weekend and over the next few days I will be preparing my remembrances of it. I said all of the above to tell you ahead of time that I will try not to be vainly proud, but humbly proud. The struggle from within me is that it is hard for me, was hard for me all weekend, to not expect others to think the best of my children.
Mothering is not an easy job, is it? There are always lessons to teach and teaching is hard when you are still learning so much yourself. There is a fine line between pride and vanity. I know that. Please be patient with me as I struggle through it this week.
And to my sugar darlins' - one day when y'all look back on this my wish is that you will remember with smiles and laughter. I want you to remember your hard work and what you accomplished through it. But please, my lovelies, remember from whom your talents are given. Hold these gifts dear, realizing how quickly you can lose them if they are not treasured, understood, respected - and used. Use them to the best of your abilities. And most importantly above all else, use them to the glory of the Giver, your Heavenly Father who was so generous.
The rest of this week will be dedicated to the memories of this past weekend, a very full weekend.
Next week I will bring back my Tuesday Daybook and What the Word? Wednesday.
My darlins' - remember your Mama and Daddy were proud, and as I look into the future - are proud.
