WIP Wednesday is usually about my current work-in-progress
yarn project. But as the old pastors say, God put another message on my heart
today.
Let’s start from the beginning. My high school student
missed the bus. Why? I claim it is
because she never packs up her stuff the night before. She has her school books, binders,
clothes for after-school sports practice, a lunch box, and who knows what else
she carries in that backpack.
Every morning, she rushes around trying to get ready for school and
gathering all that stuff. And not to single her out – all my kids do this. Despite me saying every night, “Be sure
to get your stuff together tomorrow. Put your lunchbox in the kitchen. Don’t forget you have xyz after-school
and need to get that stuff, too.”
They all say “Uh-huh, yeah, we did,” then return to playing Barbies,
building Legos, reading a book, or polishing their nails. And then the mad dash begins in the
morning.
Let me explain the next piece of the puzzle. When my oldest
misses the bus, we have to drive her to school. To a school that is about 20
minutes away, making for a 40 minute round-trip, which no matter how you figure
it, makes somebody – at least one of the four – late for school, and everybody
eat breakfast in the car.
So this was my pre- 8 a.m., 1 cup of coffee start to my
day. Yes, I was fussing. “How many
times have I told you…” “This is not fair to your brother and sisters….”
“Everybody, hurry up!” You get the
picture.
As I was pulling into my driveway after making the school
rounds, some mom-guilt came over me.
Why aren’t I one of those moms whose kids are perfectly bathed and in
the bed on time each night, with their clothes laid out neatly for the next
day, backpacks packed, lunchboxes lined up on the kitchen counter? Why aren’t
we having fresh-made biscuits and omelets in the morning?
And then, an old gospel song crept out of my brain cells. A
song I haven’t heard in church for awhile because it seems choirs don’t sing
old gospels anymore, only contemporary gospel, but that’s a different
discussion for a different day. They used to sing this song, recorded a long time ago by Albertina Walker and James Cleveland (told you it was old), in church and it
came to my mind this morning and has been with me ever since. The key words …
Please be patient with me, God is not through with me yet.
I breathed and realized, no, remembered, that I’m not a perfect mom, but I’m
doing the best I can. And you know
what? It’s the same for my kids.
They aren’t perfect, but I wouldn’t trade them for nothing.
Now, if you don’t believe in God or are some religion other
than Christian or not religious at all, don’t let this message get lost,
disregarded because of the mention of God. The message to us all – moms, dads, kids, people – is that
none of us are perfect. We can
strive for and work towards and develop our plans to be perfect, but none of us
are there yet. We are all works in progress. Be patient and see what beautiful thing you continue to
become.
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