Time Out for Women

Pam and I attended Time Out for Women this weekend. Its an event where women go to hear motivational and spiritual speakers. It was wonderful! I learned so much and wanted to share just a few thoughts I had from the experience.

• Forgiveness does not make our persecutors right, it makes us free. I loved this. Its something I learn over and over. Being able to forgive gives us power to live a happy life. One of my favorite quotes is - resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. 
• One speaker talked about the story of Widows mite from the Bible. She compared that to motherhood. Sometimes we feel like our contributions have to be grand but they do not. We offer our mothers mite daily and while our offerings might be the small little things they are worth more because we cast it all that we have. 
• We need to keep priority over efficiency. Its easy to get caught up in the tasks of things and forget to keep our children as our priority. Sometimes its good to allow things take longer and make it a meaningful experience for our children rather than pushing them to go at our pace.
• Look into our children's eyes when they talk to us. Notice them and their details. We have such a short time to be their Mothers. Build them up and sincerely love them.

Once again I became honored at the sacred role I have to be a Mom. There was one story that particularly touched me that I want to share about the Mother of a boy who at 13 started making bad choices. He had bad friends, started drinking, and experimenting with drugs. She quit her job so she could be there more and pick him up from school daily. He resented that and they could hardly converse about anything without him being angry and resentful. She didn't know what to do and while praying about it she got the answer to tell her son she loved him. She couldn't find the right time and because things had gotten so bad she knew that if she did it would probably create more contention. One night she went by his room and saw his door open a little and her son was sleeping. She tiptoed in and in the dark she told him she loved him. She felt so much better and so each night when her son had fallen asleep she would sneak in and tell him how much she loved him. She waited up no matter how late it was and did it each night. At the age of 15 things started turning around and eventually by the age of 21 he had turned into a great adult. A neighbor was having a hard time with her daughter and remembering the struggle they had with their son came over to ask the Moms advice as to what to do. The Mom said something along the line of "its a stage and you have to let then work it out." Her son was there and said "No Mom, don't you remember? You came in every night and told me how much you loved me. I use to wait up for you to come in to say it before I went to sleep each night." The mother had never known that he was awake.

This story touched me so much. It reiterated everything I have learned this last year while losing my own Mother. There is no power in the world that can compare to that of a loving mother. Nothing in this world can bring the comfort, peace, and power that a Mother can. I am honored to be my boys Mother. I am rededicated and rejuvenated to be the best mother I can!