The Mommies' Diaries…Parenting, One Blog at a Time.

Encouraged!

Cheered up.  Cheered on.

The power of a shared story.

The challenge to press on and the hope that what you are doing matters.

Parenting does matter.  And devoting yourself to your children and to love them and to teach them; to laugh with them, cry with them and listen to them is more important than anything.

It’s just that some times I forget this, as I look out from behind a large pile of clothes I’ve just spent all evening folding.

I get caught up in the middle class, American drama, worries and my day-to-day agenda, and forget the simplicity of just BEING. Being available, being present.

Being there to play dress up this precious girl (when I look around and think I just need to start clean up, and dinner, and return those 5 phone calls)

I sometimes forget to be thankful for food, home, clothes and clean water.  I sometimes don’t take time to smell the flowers with this precious boy.

I often complain.  I am often ungrateful.

But, then I will open my eyes and see (or read) something that puts things into perspective.  I heard a story of adoption this week that was just what I needed to be reminded of what really matters. To be reminded of the importance of caring for each individual that you encounter, and loving until you are completely “poured out”. (All parents know what I mean.)

I recently gobbled up the book, “Kisses from Katie” because it was a story of a girl who was willing to move to another country and feed, teach and love kids and when she encountered kids who didn’t have any hope, she adopted them.  14 of them! By the age of 20!

But, isn’t that the power of a shared story? The power to remind us of the things we know are true? The power to inspire us to do the things we know we really want to do (even if the task before us seems too hard?!) and to be the people that we want to be (even if we are so tired?!)

The book starts with this: “People who want to make a difference get frustrated along the way…They keep going…most of them are shockingly normal and the way the spend each day can be quite mundane…they simply pay attention to the everyday needs of others, even if it’s only one person.”

 So, what is it that one (or two) little persons in your life need from you? Just you!

What “mundane” things are you doing that show great love to the children in your life? Keep doing them.

What inspires you to keep moving forward…even to accomplish tasks that seem impossible?

So, friends: keep writing…it makes a difference.  And, friends: keep reading…and be inspired!