When Parenting Looks Different

When Parenting Looks Different

[The Lord] said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

I met someone a few years ago who made me rethink parenting. She’s an amazing mom. She is calm. She does not yell to be heard. And she has that rare ability to let silence reign for a little while and not feel a need to fill the space, but just lets it breathe.

Yet she’s not a “perfect” parent. Her kids eat junk food for breakfast and loathe vegetables. They go to bed later than I do and sleep in longer, and no, they are not teenagers.

And it could be easy to think, Why isn’t she making them eat veggies before they have that cookie? If she doesn’t wake them up soon, they’re going to miss half the day!

But I don’t. Because she is a great mom. And when I met her, she was also homeless.

In the summer that she and her kids stayed in our guest room, I felt convicted. On days when I had the freedom to spend four or five hours playing with my daughters, she would spend four or five hours calling to find a place to stay long-term. On days when I worried about making meals or finishing piles of laundry, she scoured online job postings and worked on craft items to sell at local venues for extra cash.

As our friendship deepened despite our differences, I realized that at the end of the day we are both good moms. And we are simply doing the best we can.

It’s okay that we’re not perfect. In fact, our weaknesses are simply opportunities for greater faith. It’s in our weaknesses that the power of Christ can work through us. If we had it all together, we wouldn’t need grace. If we knew all the answers, there would be no need to look beyond ourselves. And if we could always stand alone, we would spend no time on our knees.

— Kristin

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Make an effort to befriend someone who approaches something differently than you do, whether it’s parenting, work, or the way they mow their lawn.