Mother - the ultimate role model

Brenda hasn't seen her five children in a year. Actually, this 35-year old mother only gets to see her kids once a year. You see, she is serving an 11-year sentence for arson in a California prison.
Visually, nothing about Marlene says mother. With here tattoo-covering arms, neck and chest, the 24-year old - simply put - looks hard. Her short life has been a whirlwind in and out of trouble. Her latest crime - robbery, has landed her in a state prison for six year. That will be two more years away from her 4-year-old son.
A week ago, I visited a women's prison with an organization that takes kids to visit their incarcerated parents.
As I watched these women nervously pace the floor, fix their hair and anxiously watch the security door through which their children would enter, I found myself pitying them. Although they were women who had been convicted of serious crimes, they were mothers. Mothers who loved their children, but whose very bad choices had taken away their privilege to raise them, spend time with them or even something as simple as read them a bedtime story.
At the sight of the children, dozens of mothers smiled and cried as they moved anxiously toward the door to greet their children.
And so began the clock. Four hours - that's right, four hours was all they had to spend with the children, who many of them had not seen in as long as two years. Mothers led children to tables filled with arts and crafts, where the children would draw pictures for their mothers. Others played board games, while still others played on the fenced in playground topped with barbed wire.
Finally came that dreaded moment - saying goodbye. The laughter stopped and the tears again began to flow as mother and child embraced.
As a mother, it's hard to fathom being away from my two children for years. Often I find myself missing them during the few hours in a school day.
For these incarcerated mothers, time has allowed many of them to assess the effects of their actions.  In the quietness of their cells many have accepted their punishment,  taking full responsibility for their crimes.
As a mother, do you sometimes find yourself taking for granted the time you spend with your children? Have you forgotten the importance of your role as a mother?
A mother not only disciplines her children when they do wrong, thus teaching them the consequences of their actions, she loves unconditionally, values the special moments, encourages and compliments her child(ren).
So, mothers, the next time you look at your child, think about the importance of the impact you have in what that child will become. Search the Scriptures for God's instructions on rearing children. I encourage a daily read of the Proverbs. Live a godly-life before them so that your light leads them to Christ. Never underestimate the knowledge a child has where The Lord is concerned.
Take a minute to think about the incarcerated mothers, many of whom are longing to hold their child, to spend time with them and to teach them right from wrong.
Often, mothers are the epitome of the following Army motto: we do more before 6 in the morning than some people do all day. Make sure that what you do in the run of a day counts in the long run....eternity.

The PEACE of God

I've been having some trying times over the last year or so - scraping around trying to find that thing that any average person wishes for in their everyday life - PEACE. 

One would think as a Bible-believing Christian - I say that because there are those who identify themselves as Christians who don't believe the Bible to be true - I would be quite familiar with the one and only Almighty God who possesses the peace I so desperately need everyday.

Well, actually I am. However, there are times, like in recents months, when I have totally allowed others and different circumstances to invade my peaceful place. 

I've shed more tears than I care to mention, for fear that I may hear the distant chants of my childhood, "cry baby, cry baby." Anybody remember that? Anyway, enough of that.

I am extremely thankful to God for surrounding me with people who refuse to jump in the pity party ditch with me, but who remain on the outskirts of that, often deep place, with a life preserve of Scripture to save me from drowning in my sorrows.

One Wednesday, in a mere effort to appease my 5-year old daughter, I attended Bible study at @Cottonwoodchurch. She has missed her children's church so much. There was a guest minister @mikekeyes who spoke on Peace. Who knew, but God, that I needed that sermon. 

He shared several Scriptures on the peace of God, all of which, in my 44 years in the church, I had heard. But somehow it hit me in such a way I found myself in tears as I listened to God speak directly to me, never mind the other few hundred people who were there. 

I was reminded that I and I alone had been ALLOWING people and circumstances to rob me of my peace. No more. Enough is enough! I will trust God, despite the circumstances that surround me and rise up to taint my character, my worth and my dignity. I will trust God, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are his works and it's time my soul acknowledges that. 

If you have allow people and/or your circumstances to rob you of your joy and your peace - whether it's work, family or life in general - cast those cares at the feet of Jesus and trust him at his word. Study his word. Draw nigh to God, resist the devil and he will, he has to flee!

I don' t know about you, but I'm getting my joy and my peace back. The Joy of The Lord is my strength and the peace from God surpasses ALLLLL understanding.