What I've learned

       Tomorrow I have the privilege of being on a panel with two other seasoned (I like this word a lot better than my original choice of "old-timer") moms.  We're hoping to share with a group of amazing young mamas some lessons we've gleaned over the years of living, loving, and parenting our children.
       Here's how I would sum up what I know: Grace.
       Seriously, every single bit of it is grace, grace, and more grace--
       The grace of God to bless us with the incalculable gift of our priceless children.  Why God would give us these five beautiful, eternal souls I will never, ever understand.  It's, plain and simple, grace beyond all comprehension.
       So yes, God's good grace in blessing us with these children, but then also the desperate need for daily grace.  The grace of strength when you're completely empty.  The grace of love when you've got nada.  The grace of wisdom when your brain has turned to mush.  The grace of prayer when you've come to the end of your pitiful resources.  The grace of persevering faith and hope when the way ahead looks dark and dreary.  The grace of joy--God's indefatigable joy--even in the muck and mire and messiness of life.  Parenting--like all of life--is simply all, all, all by His grace.
       "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--so that no one can boast." (Eph.2:8-9)  "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Heb.4:16)  "But He give gives more grace.  That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but gives grace the humble." (James 4:6)
       Grace, amazing grace.  That, in a nutshell, is what I've learned in 25 years of parenting--it's all by grace...every single challenging, exhilarating, frightening, fulfilling, anxious, wondrous, exhausting, and joyous moment of being a mama.
       But I will also add one more very important lesson I've learned--one for which I wish I could go back in time and preach to my much younger, often stressed-out-trying-to-be-the-perfect-mom-but-failing self.  And it would be this: Savor these moments.
       Yes, yes, you've heard it ad nauseam, but since you're reading this, maybe, just maybe, you need reminding.  Because it's true for every one of us--no matter whether you're young or old, parent or not, man or woman: slow down and savor.
       Savor these irreplaceable moments with your children, your spouse, your parents, your siblings, your friends.  God has given you these precious-beyond-all-imagining people in your life...and neither they, nor you, will be here forever.  Heaven's coming--praise God--but the Lord's only giving you this day, this hour, this moment with the people you love right now so that you can truly see them, love them, encourage them, appreciate them, and savor them.
       Savor the people.  Savor the little, tiny moments of laughter, sharing, eating, riding, walking.  Savor the everyday, the commonplace.  Believe me, if you lost that regular routine, you would be wondering how on earth you could have possibly taken it for granted.  So instead of letting it all just slide by you unnoticed and unappreciated, slow down right now and savor each part of the ordinary, but oh so beautiful, life the Lord has given you.
       Don't miss the opportunity right now--right now--to savor the gifts God has given you.  In children, spouse, family, friends, home, job, chores, church, hobbies, favorite foods, dog, trees, birds, books...The list goes on and on and on.  So many gifts, so much to savor.
        And most of all: savor the Savior.  Don't miss savoring the One who gave up eternity to give you eternal Life.  Such grace unimaginable. Such love indescribable.  Such forgiveness inconceivable. Don't miss a single day of savoring the Savior.
       Grace...and savor--that's what I've learned.  Pretty simple...but then, I'm a pretty simple person.  But these are two lessons I continue to appreciate and, by the grace of God, will continue to practice.  Day by day by day.
      Grace and savor.  All by His grace.  All for His glory.
      To God be the glory.