Luke 2:52
“52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
Perhaps this resonates with me because at times, my otherwise wonderful children seem determined to make me cry. Within a two-week period I had a child with three think times and TWO lunch detentions at school; another child recommended for a friendship skills group because she had issues with another little girl; a child with two very low grades without any signs of hurrying to bring them up; and another child who freely expressed sudden and intense hormonal fits about homework. One night I seriously started wailing to my husband, “Where have we gone wrong?”
After blowing my nose and receiving kind consolation—“It’s them, not us”—we had a family pow wow. We discussed our family’s expectations, the power of good choices and the consequences of poor ones. I shed a few tears, which I think was a good thing for giving the old mother guilt, and ended the conversation with quotes from a spiritual talk on achieving our potential and reaching the positive and divine within us. Did it sink in? Likely not.
However, the very next day I received two notes from teachers telling me wonderful things about my children. Then, while I was at a doctor’s appointment, the kids all completed their deep clean chores, and well done too, without fussing or “forgetting.” And each had done something to make restitution for their behaviors: completing overdue homework, writing notes of apology to teachers and friends, and curbing hormone swings while completing a difficult school paper.
Why do I share this scripture? Because I think often of how Mary must have loved her Son—the goodness and kindness, the wisdom and respect. How she must have joyed in watching Him grow, become, and mature as He prepared for His ministry.
Though our children do not have that same divine calling, we as parents get to participate in their growth and maturity. And though some days—or weeks—can be forgettable at Merry Christmas, it’s a gift to see them move through to that other side of being wise and doing good.
How can you express your love and appreciation to your children for their good deeds or personality traits?
Merry Christmas,
Connie
