Sometimes we’re too hard on ourselves. We overlook those days of motherhood success. Last week my 15 year-old son spoke in church–Sacrament meeting. He  did it all — the writing, the practicing, the delivery.
I was happy. He did well and as a mom, this is one of those happy, content moments of motherhood and raising kids in the Gospel.
Today, my married son, age 26 and his wife, 24 spoke in Sacrament meeting. Again, a great feeling of happiness came over me. They did a great job, they were thoughtful and inspiring, and not boring. (which is definitely a possibility in a church without a paid ministry)
You train up your kids in the way they should go, and many times–away they go. But it is these sweet moments when all those teaching moments and training and setting examples seem to come through.
I was a little down because of something else that did not go as I thought.
We have certainly had our ups and downs, and it is true for me that “a mom is only as happy as her most unhappy child.” When our kids make good choices we feel happy. When they make bad choices we feel down.
Having felt the down side, I truly appreciate today and want to remember to be thankful and recognize that we should never give up when the road seems too rough. Sometimes we have to wait. And hold our tongue. And not complain. And keep these things quietly.
But it is true that “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John: 4)
and “A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” (Proverbs 10: 1)
As mothers, we should not compete–but share in the journey of raising our children, knowing that some will take longer than others, but to be thankful for these times when we see our children walking in truth. And wait patiently, without complaining when things do not go as we would hope.
