Good Mom story

Checking email this morning, I received this and thought it good enough to keep it for eternity by pasting it into my blog; enjoy!

Notes from a Disciple Mom

A man came to our house to fix things. He had been out on sick leave for a while. What we thought was back surgery was actually the removal of a diseased colon. He had many problems, blockages and hard adjustments. He sat down to rest and taught me a valuable mom lesson. He said there were seven kids in his family and his dad never told them they were not capable of doing something. He started welding when he was 12, and accomplished many projects that he was sure must have surprised his dad. Now, six of the seven owned their own businesses and the seventh was a computer geek at a university.

That day I called my two older kids who had graduated from college and lived on different coasts. I encouraged them where they were feeling weak or stretched. I spread it around at home...to my high school junior and my 2 middle schoolers. When the chance presented itself, I encouraged my lst grader who was finding learning to read fluently difficult. I looked at the daughter who was in competitive gymnastics. She had coaches who looked for weak spots. My job was to love and see the fabulous. Sympathy, hugs, and an understanding heart were just as important as words.
Something happened as I sought opportunities to encourage. I became a carrier of Christ...a messenger of hope and joy. Looking for good things made me see good things in myself, even when I made mistakes.
We are not our mistakes. No one is. Someone told me that when I find myself making a mistake, or committing that same sin that featured in my last confession or when it seems I'm not being the mom or wife I want to be, don't think of it as failing. Think of it as practicing. It made me laugh when I thought of the term practicing catholic. That is just what I am. God bless you all, my DJM brothers and sisters. Notes from a DJM mom.