parenting – Awakening the Soul

As she glances out the window, she admires and takes in the view.

Laughter, smiles, bliss, taking it all in – living in the moment.

This moment is what matters.

The boys in her life help her feel full. Its like eating a fresh baked pie. Each bite tastes so wonderful so blissful, with each bite she feels full and content.

This moment is what matters.

Time flies. They tell you time flies when you are younger and you ask yourself – “What do they know?”. The words touch her heart now, she realizes that the years pass in a matter of minutes. They were right . She realizes that this is something learned through experiences as she looks back.

This moment matters.

She takes in the smells of their rooms when they are sleeping at night. The smells remind her of the times when she rocked them to sleep, reminds her of the blissful feeling of love in those moments. As she glances at their faces she is full of so much love in this wonderful life. A sense of peace overcomes her as she gives gratitude to the moment and the beautiful view.

This moment matters.

The babies grow into young men, and she begins to see that they are becoming so much more than she could ever imagine. Viewing the world through their eyes, helping them navigate through the rough and smooth – she feels so blessed for them to call her mom.

This moment matters.

More than she could ever imagine – the great gifts in this life are the ones you love and living in every moment.

This moment matters.

Walking hand in hand in this life with her best friend. Her best friend was an angel sent from above. Then the blessings she has been given are beyond her wildest dreams. She gives thanks. The gift of life – her two sons – the greatest gifts of all. Love so deep.

This moment matters.

The joy experienced in this life always overcomes the sadness. There are storms in this life but it is through strength and love that shelters us from the rain. The sun always shines, and she has seen it happen so many times the rainbows that come after the storm.

This moment matters.

She looks out the window and gives thanks and gratitude to it all. She knows He is the source of all of the good.

This moment matters.

Dear Vanessa,

I am expecting a new baby very shortly and do not know what to expect. Ever since I have been pregnant I have been worrying about this little bean inside of me. I pray that my baby is healthy, and think often about the kind of parent I want to be. I have purchased a lot of resources that have been helping me with some of the questions that have come up through the pregnancy… There is so much unknown. Any suggestions?

~New mommy to be

Dearest New Mommy to Be,

What an exciting time! New life, new beginnings, and yes the unknown. This is a miracle all on its own.

An absolute miracle…..

Leading up to the big day, it is almost like time slows down, and for most new mommy’s to be – they pray for their little bundle of joy to be born healthy.

Most of this life is beyond our control and this event is included. So how do we calm our nerves during this process?

Be good to yourself, don’t overthink things – you could send your mind into a tailspin.
Rest, read, and enjoy the time and pamper yourself, before long you will have another gift wanting your time.
I look back on this time for myself, and I read so many materials “what to expect when you are expecting”, “what to expect in the first year” – remember each individual is different and these books, while they have some useful information also can cause the mind to head into overdrive.
It’s ok to say “no” to things, remember you are carrying a little one you can’t do it all.

When moment arrives to give birth to your child, all of the pain and worry will disappear. In that moment, your breath will be taken away and you will feel this overwhelming feeling of perfect love.

Perfect…..

Love…..

Every mother and father feel it, when they see their little one for the first time. A miracle given to us from above.

The first few weeks are a blur, as the new mother tries to get a handle on this new life. Give yourself some grace and apply the points above. You cannot do it all – it is ok not to be 100% in all areas of your life. Remember there will be times where you feel stretched and that is ok too. Also, things will happen, but you will get through. Ask for His Grace to help you along and you will feel complete Joy along the way.

Larry Crabb wrote in his book 66 Love Letters that in addition to relying on themselves rather than God, the thing that kept His children out of the Promised Land was not believing God. In God’s voice, Crabb writes:

And they wouldn’t believe that I could overcome every problem, the ones inside them, as well as the difficulties in their circumstances that stood in the way of real joy. So they refused to walk the narrow road of belief that welcomes exposure of failure and conflict, knowing I have a plan to overcome them.

God can overcome anything, He gives us these amazing gifts in our lives to see His face, and the love that He has for us. Yes there will be times when we sit at the end of the day, and feel like we have fallen flat on our face. But He picks us up. His grace has promised us love, and eternal life through bringing Jesus to us in this world.

I wonder, how Mary felt as she trucked along on the donkey to a stable. I am sure her mind was full of worry, and wonder. But she knew God was in control of the moment and had faith. She gave birth to the perfect miracle we have been given in this life.

Remember, mommy to be, you are not alone. We have a Father that carries us, and is there for us in all things.

Give yourself some grace beautiful lady and rest your mind.

Dear Lord God,

Thank-you so much for the gifts you give us in this life. Help us to sort through the mixture of feelings we have in this life, and help us lift them up to you so that we can experience full joy. Help us to see the moments of miracles you give us. Help us to look to you. We thank-you so much for loving us and giving us your Son. During this season Lord God, help bring peace and fulfillment into our lives. Help us to refocus. In Jesus Name, Amen.

May you be blessed beautiful lady.

Vanessa

If you have a question for Vanessa please email her at nesschesters@gmail.com