by miss plumeria
My mom is coming from Hawaii to visit me for the first time in four years. From the moment the plane ticket was purchased, I was excited but also nervous. What is it about our parental visits that make us nervous? They have seen every side of us – the good and the bad, but for me, I think I’m constantly trying to make them proud of me. I want them to see that I’m doing well and their sacrifices were well worth it. In general, I know that most parents sacrifice a lot for their children. I don’t know what kind of sacrifices other people made for their children, but I know what my parents gave up. I know because I experienced it first hand. I remember each time they chose me over themselves. At the time, I thought it was a given. I thought parents had to be that way and they had no choice.
However, as I get older, I realize that parents are people too. They’re just like me and you. They want things, they have expectations, they want to hang out, they want to play and eat yummy foods, and they do think about themselves. But they choose their kids over themselves most of the time. I wonder what that’s like. What is it like to think about someone else over yourself ALL the time? I know that our parents fall short many times, but their heart is usually at the right place.
As a Christian, we have something better than our parents. We have God – our Father in heaven. He never disappoints us, chooses us every time, and never makes mistakes. Through my parents, I can only imagine a small teardrop of how God loves me. The pain He must feel when I make a mistake or neglect what He says. I’ve seen my mom cry before and it really pained me. I wonder how many times God cried for me. But there’s an upside to this – even though I’ve caused Him pain, He will always love me
unconditionally. Despite all my mistakes, He gave me the greatest sacrifice of all – Jesus. If He can sacrifice Jesus to save an imperfect, fallen person like me, I know that He’s accepted ALL of me. I don’t have to be nervous about what He thinks or how I’m living my life. Isn’t that a peaceful feeling?
Comments (7)
Wonderful post....I know my Savior gave His all for me...I try to do the same for my daughter and my hubby too
This post reminds me of a book I read which said that God has no grandchildren. All of us must choose to give our lives to Christ and cannot slip in merely because our parents went to church. Bridging off of that, as children, and not grandchildren, of God, He, as you mentioned, is willing to sacrifice everything, even His only Son for us.
so true. Parents are wonderful...that's why i dotn think i am ready or is good enough to be a mother.....
Yeah, now that I am older, I see how much my parents sacrifice for my sister, brother, and I, and sometimes it makes me sad. You know, if my their was only 3 things left to eat in the whole house, they would feed us instead of themselves. They say the closest thing to God's love is a mother's love. It is really insane how much God loves us.
This was a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing! It made me think about my girls, and how growing up is not always easy, but that God makes a way through all of it. I just pray I'll be better able to understand where my girls are coming from when they think of me. I used to tell them that Daddy and I loved them, but God loves them so much more growing up than we ever could. I'm praying that they always remember that when life happens and things don't always go as planned.
J
Thanks for the post and great insight. To think about God and how my mistakes and sins would cause him pain makes me never want to do it again! I know my parents love me immensely and sacrificed a lot for my brother and I, and to think - God sacrificed His Son! What love!
YES. It is an amazing feeling. It's astounding how easily I forget it, and I end up working really hard to make God love me...and what a relief when I remember!