Last night I had an epiphany thanks to a new book I'm reading. After having a rough afternoon with 2 kiddos and an exhausted mom, I got a little time to read before bed. My midwife had recommended the book
Whole Child, Whole Parent. I reached a chapter on "Spirit" and the light turned on for me in relation to parenting. We focus so much on taking care of our children, their body and their mind. We work hard to feed them the right foods, make sure they get enough exercise, regularly take them to the doctor to make sure they're developing well. For their minds, we read to them, ask them to count, name colors, etc.
But what about their spirit? I was convicted by this! Do I help my girls nurture their spirit? When their hearts need love and encouragement, do I stop what I'm doing and feed their souls? I know that as a mom, I can't do everything and I also need to care for my own soul. But this has been a huge paradigm shift for me. I want my daughters to have spirits that are full of joy and love and Christ, and they need me to be their vessels. Big responsibility? Yes! But to whom much is given, much is required! Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit!!!! Because as a mom, some days it feels like it's the only thing that gets me through.