Open the Eyes of My Heart

It seems like lately I have not been able to focus or even recognize the joy and beauty in parenting my oldest, sweet daughter.  Please don't take that as a knock on parenting or on my child. As anything in life, there's ebb and flow.  Sometimes I feel like I've got a handle on the situation and sometimes I don't. Well, this weekend God blessed me with perspective and I will be forever grateful for that moment.

Grace shines when she's on stage and loves to sing her sweet heart out.  God has blessed her with a lovely voice and I get such a kick out of hearing her sing (just like her daddy). This past weekend, she starred as Serena Katz in Fame, Jr. for the park district summer theater program. I've watched her on stage in four other shows this past 18 months and enjoyed every last one of them. However, this time it was like I had new glasses on.

There she was, center stage, singing and dancing beautifully. I wasn't looking at Serena Katz, really, I was looking at my sweet little girl growing into a beautiful young lady. Oh did I cry. The tears just welled up and fell down my smiling momma cheeks.  Right in front of my eyes, my oldest child was growing up.  Wow!  Where did the time go?  How did this happen?  It was like God was giving me a fresh perspective, a reminder that His work in her isn't done, but that so far she's pretty amazing. 

I needed that moment.  I needed to see Grace right where she belongs using the gifts that God has given her to recognize that she is indeed growing up into her own person. All of a sudden, I realized that parenting this lovely young lady doesn't have to be like what the world says about raising tweens and teens.  I know there will still be ebb and flow.  We're going to argue and disagree, but I know that I can't make her into something she's not.  There will be good days and bad days for both of us.

For so long, I've been focused on the tough stuff, the bad days, the arguments all the while my sweet girl has been growing up into a young lady.  I don't want to focus on the tough stuff anymore.  I want to focus on all the amazing things that make my sweet Grace who she is and who she will become.

 Maybe you've been having some tough days mothering a particular child or children, that's okay. For just one moment, though, stop and ask God to give you eyes to see what you've been missing. Ask our Heavenly Father to bless you with a moment of joy that gives you new perspective.  I promise He will deliver!