Happy Mother’s Day, SuperStepmom

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This morning I woke up to my kids jumping into my bed.  They woke up at 6:00 am (why can’t they wake up this early on a school day?).  They were excited for Mother’s Day of course.   And my heart delighted with my kids, my husband and I all snuggling in bed.  Precious moments.

And then the day unfolded.  “Stop poking your sister in the eye.”  “Stop taking your brother’s toys.”  “Please stop making that (annoying) noise.”  “For the fifth time, go put on shoes for church.”  “Mom, she poured juice all over the Mother’s Day presents I was going to give you!”  Tears, tantrums, time-outs.  All before 8:30 am.  I said to my husband, “Maybe next year on Mother’s Day I should spend the day alone, a nice quiet day to myself.”  To which he replied (with a smile in his eyes):  “I think Mother’s Day means you are supposed to spend the whole day with your kids.”

And then I remembered:  this is what I had always prayed for.  A godly husband and a house full of kids.  Warts and all.  Roller coaster ride that it is.

Being a mom calls for bravery.  Being a stepmom calls for some serious super powers.

These days my step kids are all young adults and out of the house.   But I remember those days when Mother’s Day wasn’t so easy and fun-loving.  I remember those daily struggles as a Stepmom.  Parenting someone else’s kids who never asked for this situation, who never asked for two houses, two set of rules, four parents, and gobs of half-sibs and step-siblings.  They could be prickly, and probably had every right to be.

Thankfully we can rely on Him for direction.

Joshua 1:9 (NIV) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)  “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)  “So do not fear, for I am with you;  do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Today I am thankful that God tells us to be brave and strong and to trust Him.  Mothers and stepmoms sure need that encouragement!  He works all things for good (even when we cannot see His plan quiet yet).  (Romans 8:28)

What are you thankful for, you super hero Stepmom?

 

 

Happy Mother’s Day Stepmama!

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Today I woke up and rolled over to find my deliciously cuddly four year old in my bed, sandy feet from yesterday’s shenanigans and all.  And I’m thankful.  Thankful for this crazy chaotic blended family life.  If not for the storms of blended family life, I would not have this great husband, these amazing “ours” kids, and the honor to love on someone else kids.

But let’s be real.  This is a mixed bag kind of day for women.  We’re rejoice in the great relationships with our children, stepchildren and our own mothers.  Simultaneously we mourn the children we have lost.  We mourn the relationships with bio kids, step kids, and parents that are not intact or not healthy.  Some of us mourn the loss of our own mother.

As I solemnly ponder this (with my back drop being one kid yelling “Mom!  Can you help me find my unicorn?” and another yelling “Mom, can I have cheeseballs for breakfast?”).   I think about the many reasons to NOT love your step kids (and then I talk myself and hopefully you out of that mindset should it ever understandably cross your mind.).

10 Reasons Not to Love Your Stepkids

  1. Your stepkid has wronged you.   Talk to any bio parent.  This is what kids do, they wrong their parents. They disappoint, they disobey.  This is not unique to step parenting.  Welcome to parenting 101.  You’re officially a real parent if your kids or step kids wrong you.  Love them anyway.
  2. Your husband’s ex has told lies about you and damaged your character.  Sadly this happens.  It’s like being hit by a ton of bricks.  It’s unfair yet it happens all too often. It’s upsetting.  I figure there are two choices here.  Become the bitter, ugly, unqualified parent the ex might say that you are, or hold your head up high, behave  gracefully in the face of adversity and let your true character shine.  People will eventually see your true character.  Love them anyway.
  3. Your’e not a real parent (and you’ve probably been told so).  News flash:  things like packing lunches, cleaning someone else’s kids soiled sheets after an accident, doing laundry, putting bandaids on, driving kids to and from school, cooking meals and listening to a teenager’s heartaches makes you a real parent.  Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re not a real parent.  Love them anyway.
  4. Your stepkid is not nice to you.  Again,  I say, talk to any bio parent.  They will tell you that kids are not nice.  Ok sometimes they are, but a lot of the time they aren’t.   Like the times when they tantrum at Disneyland (not always the happiest place on Earth, is it?), or when they treat you disrespectfully in front of their teenage friends, or when they open a birthday present and exclaims it’s not what they wanted.  Parenting is not contingent on a child’s behavior.  Kids don’t have to earn appropriate parenting.  They should just get it because it’s the right thing for parents to do.  As my husband often reminds me “You’re the grown up here.”  (oh, yeah…thanks for the reminder, seriously I sometimes need that).  Parents don’t just parent “good kids”, they parent disobedient, unkind, not-so-fun-to-be-around kids too.  By providing solid parenting even in tough situations you are growing this kid up into a healthy person (who will be nicer some day).  Love them anyway.
  5. I have to protect myself,  I have to think of myself first.  Self-preservation, I hear you, a natural tendancy.  But yet the Bible says “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”  (Philippine 2:3-4 NIV).  Huh, put the interests of others above my own?  Value others (like your step kids) above yourself?   Yep, we’re told this straight from God.  Love them anyway.
  6. There’s nothing in this for me, it’s a thankless job.  Yep, parenting is pretty much a thankless job until your kids are 40, or so I hear.  Kids don’t say thanks for limits, curfews, and having to eat brussel sprouts.  But when they’re older they will thank you. (Like that kid of mine still begging me for cheese balls for breakfast).  No lie, parenting and stepparenting is hard work, it’s a constant selfless sacrifice.  Love them anyway. 
  7.  I’m exhausted from trying.  God provides peace and strength unlike anything in this world.  Seek Him.  God tell us in Isaiah 40:31 (NIV), “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Be still and let Him help.  Love them anyway.
  8. What I do doesn’t matter.  Over the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to be involved in many big “important” business matters with very profitable dollar signs attached (feeding someone else’s pockets, not mine, mind you).   But I will never forget what happened one day at work, early in my career.  I was on a phone queue, picked up a call from a customer, handled business as usual.  Yay me, job well done, right?  However, before we hung up the call, the customer quietly and slowly said “Thank you for being nice to me today…no one has been nice to me today.”  In that moment I knew that we can spend our time running around doing “important” things, but there’s nothing so impactful as being nice to a human being.  What you do does matter.  Love them anyway.
  9. My step kids are my husband’s responsibility, not mine.  You could look at that way, sure.  But remember when you married your husband two became one.  The Bible does not say two become one, except in the hard things.  And you are powerful, and you can respect your husband in this journey.  Your words are powerful.  You can use those words to build your husband up.  You can use that same power of words well-chosen to build your step kids up, even when you’re hurting and even when you have been wronged.  God tell us in Proverbs 12: 18-20 (NIV), “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.  Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy.”  Use your power for good, not evil, Stepmom.  Love them anyway.
  10. My stepkid doesn’t like me, why should I like or even love him?  Simple:  because God commands us to.  And I don’t know about you, but God is the boss of me.  I’m imperfect, I fail often, but I try to remember the commands my boss has given me.  In Matthew 5:43-44 (NIV) we are told, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  Love them anyway.  

Stepmom are brave, amazing, tough, and admirable.   I firmly believe God has planted stepmoms right where they can impact and bless others.  You got this, Stepmama.  Happy Mother’s Day!

The Protective Stepmom

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In 1995 the CDC and Kaiser Permanente began a study looking at the impact that Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) have on people later in life. ACEs are serious, impactful, often traumatic events that kids experience early in life. ACEs include things done directly to a child such as emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect; and things that may have occurred in the household like domestic violence, someone in the house with substance use or mental health issues, parental separation or divorce. Over 17,000 people participated in the study; they were mostly white middle-class educated people. The researchers found that two thirds of the people had experienced at least one ACE; and more than one in five people had experienced three or more ACEs. The participants’ medical data was followed to see how ACEs impacted their health later in life. They found that those with ACEs had an increased risk for things including: alcoholism, multiple sexual partners, drug use, depression, liver disease, financial stress, sexually transmitted diseases, suicide attempts, risk for intimate partner violence, poor academic achievement and more.

Are kids who have experienced ACEs such as parental divorce, difficult family circumstances or abuse histories destined for a life of hardship then? Experts say not necessarily. There are protective factors that can help cushion kids from negative outcomes. Protective factors are self-characteristics or positive influences in their lives that help them be more resilient. The more resilient a child is, the less the ACEs will impact him or her.

You might be thinking: what are some protective factors? One of the biggest ones is a safe, stable, loving relationship with an adult. Guess what stepmoms? That could be YOU. You may never take the place of bio mom (nor should you want to), you may never get top billing or credit for all of the love you have in your heart or the work that you do. But you could make a huge difference in the life of your stepchild. Sure, your name may never be lit up on a billboard, there may be no fireworks and no award. Rather, you may be the quiet presence in the background of the family. But your loving, stable, constant, positive, appropriate, faithful, hopeful actions could help your stepchild be resilient. And a resilient kid means less chance for those negative medical and social outcomes listed above.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather help a kid be healthy than get a trophy. How about you?

Today I am thankful for the opportunity to help others with the gifts that God gave us.

God talks about our gifts and the way we should serve others in Romans 12:8;10-13 (NIV): “if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully…Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

What are your gifts and what are you thankful for?

To read more about the ACE study: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/about.html

To learn more about protective factors and resiliency read what the Minnesota Department of Health has to say here:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/ace/resilience.cfm

Five Ways to Unintentionally Hurt your Blended Family

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Being a stepmom is a crash course in a whole different world.   Most women are tremendously unprepared for the life of a stepmom.  We thought we were getting a fairy tale and it is often anything but.   It’s definitely not for the weak.   In the spirit of information sharing, here are some ways to unintentionally hurt your husband and stepkids.  (In other words, stuff you SHOULDN’T do.).

  1. Insist that your stepkids call you “mom.”  Be really clear in your heart & mind:  you are not mom.  Whether bio mom lives right down the road, is deceased, resides in jail or lives across the country:  you are not mom.  You might do mom-like tasks, you might love your stepkids, but you are not mom. Bio mom might have been abusive to her children…but you are still not mom.  You might be lucky to transition from babysitter status to friend to aunt to parental figure, but that takes time and relationship building.  Each child is different.  One child might eventually decide to call you  “mom” but to another child you may forever be “dad’s wife.”   Take joy in serving Him in all you do, not in what you are labeled.  No matter what you are called, you have a great opportunity to make an impact. So don’t force the kids to call you “mom” or treat you as such.
  2. Don’t back up your husband.    In a godly marriage, the husband is the head of the household.  This doesn’t mean unilateral decisions.  A wise husband consults his wife (yes, even when she is not his first wife) and carefully considers her input.  Ultimately he may make the final decision, especially when it comes to his bio kids.  Remember he is balancing the long term vision of what’s best for everyone (not just responding to the here & now), the perspective of his kids, relationship with his ex, impact on the blended family and more.  Respect his decision.  Demonstrate a united front to your stepkids. Even when you disagree with dad, you can model respect for his decisions.  One of the greatest gifts you can give the kids is modeling a healthy marriage. So, do support your husband.
  3. Monopolize your husband’s time.  Experts know that it’s important for parents to spend 1:1 time with kids. (note:  assuming there are no safety issues such as abuse or substance use).  One-to-one time helps kids feel important and loved (they get a parent’s full undivided attention for a specific time; don’t have to fight siblings for dad’s attention). This special time fosters communication, healing, self-esteem, and relationship.  Additionally, after dad remarries kids can worry that stepmom will take up all of dad’s time, in other words, it can increase their fear that they will lose dad.  Allowing and actively promoting 1:1 time between dad and kids is a great gift you can give them.   A confident stepmom knows it’s not a matter of excluding her from the family, but rather a way to help kids resolve grief, continue bonding or reuniting with dad, and building healthy relationships.  So don’t monopolize your husband’s time.
  4. Refuse to become one with your husband.  It’s biblical:  leave & cleave.  Leave your parents, cleave to your spouse, so much that you become “one.”   Think about it.  Who are you really married to?  Your spouse? Or are you more aligned with your ex or your bio kids?  Is your spouse more married to his bio kids than you?  God is clear:  leave  and then cleave to your spouse, not someone else.  The bible verse does not read: Leave & cleave unless it’s your second marriage.  Do become one with your husband.
  5. Create a child-centered home.  It can be easy to fall into this trap. Sheesh, haven’t we known our kids longer than our new spouse?  Doesn’t that count for something?  But I love my kids – shouldn’t I give them their way?  I mean, aren’t we all aware of the grief and loss we have caused our kids by divorce?  (Even if the divorce was not our choice, didn’t we “do this” to the kids?).  Wouldn’t it help the kids if we just gave them their way more often? If we bought them more treats, toys, and expensive clothes wouldn’t it help make up for the hurt they have endured?  What about more trips to Disneyland or Mexico – wouldn’t that help the kids heal?  What’s so wrong if we let the kids call the shots in our house?   Well, there’s a lot wrong in that.  It’s really unhealthy for kids to be in charge.   A healthy godly marriage has a certain hierarchy.  Put God first.  Then your spouse (remember you’re one now).   Then the kids.  Then everything else (work, hobbies etc).  Kids thrive on order and stability.  Knowing that there are rules and structure actually helps kids know that they are taken care of and reassures them.  Kids with too much freedom and too few rules can become unruly and anxious.  Plus kids who call the shots run the risk of becoming the kind of adults that no one wants to hang out with and probably won’t be great employees either.  A child-centered home is not the same thing as a home with lots of love for the children.  A child-centered home has the kids in charge instead of the parents.  Be brave, parent well, and do not create a child-centered home. Your kids and their future spouses will thank you!

Today I’m thankful for God’s direction.  In 2 Thessalonians 3:5 it says, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” (NIV)

What are you thankful for?

The Stepmom with Confused Stepkids

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One of the saddest outcomes post-divorce can be that kids have a hard time discerning truth from untruth.  These kids can get different messages from mom and dad.  It’s hard for them to know what’s true.  They can grow up uncertain of what’s real, what they can really believe, and who they can really believe.  They can become young adults uncertain about many things and with trust issues.

As a stepmom I pray often for truth to be revealed.  Truth about the character of all involved, truth about what really occurred in various situations, ability for my stepkids to discern truth from intentional (or unintentional) falsehood, truth about healthy marriage, truth about healthy parenting. And of course for my stepkids to love and respect all involved parents (warts and all).

I believe stepmoms are called to do godly work in many ways.  First to model healthy marriages by respecting her husband (what a gift to demonstrate this for kids!).  Secondly to love the unloveable, not just the easy.  Thirdly to be selfless (if stepmotherhood isn’t a lesson in acting on everyone else’s best interest and not solely her own, I’m not sure what is!).  Additionally, stepmoms can help kids by being beacons of truth.

I Cor 13:6 says “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” (NIV)

I John 3:18 says “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (NIV)

By walking in truth, sharing God’s truth, modeling truth about your character and your husband’s character, modeling truth about what your family stands for…and consistently doing so will help your stepkids see and recognize truth.  It may take awhile but God promises when we walk in His will, all things (not just some things) work together for good (Romand 8:28).  And stepmom – you are here to do some good!

Today I’m thankful that God tells us to love on others by actions and TRUTH.

What are you thankful for?

 

The Natural Stepmom

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I have natural curly hair.  I mean huge hair.  Like, in the 80’s I had giant 80’s hair without even trying.  And then came the trend where it was popular to have stick straight hair.  So for many years now I have been straightening this giant mass of curls in to stick straight glossiness.  And that’s not easy, especially if there’s an ounce of humidity (or if you go to the gym, or if it rains, etc).  It’s an all out battle to keep these locks straight:  forcing them into line; using extreme high heat, blow outs, straightening irons, round brushes, special shampoo,  styling products galore.  Not only is it a battle, it’s time-consuming and exhausting.

And then one day I began admiring “natural hair”.  I took the leap and went to a salon that only does curly hair.  They teach women to appreciate the beauty of their curls (did you know there are many kinds of naturally curly hair?).  They teach them how to work with their curl, not to fight it or damage it.   And if you ask them to straighten it, they will say no.  They’re hard core.  Gosh, it’s like a hair intervention!

Now I rock my curls.  I have not straightened my hair in over a year.  I look totally different.  My own mother asked if I had gotten a perm!  But to be honest, managing curly hair isn’t easy even when going natural.  There are days I look more like Sammy Hagar or Carrot Top than the cute girl look I’m going for (although those guys do rock their curls!).  There are days I feel unkempt with my curls blowing around crazily.  And then there are also days when people stop me on the street to ask about my hair and tell me how beautiful it is.

And I wondered, is this kinda like being a stepmom?  As stepmoms do we try to force ourselves into roles that aren’t quite right for us?  Do we try to assume a mom role or get disappointed when we’re not acknowledged as a true mom?  Do we take on a friend role instead of a parental role?  If we are rejected by our stepkids, do we rush to reject them right back?  Are we just not sure how to manage?  Do we try too hard to control our family members, trying to force them all into place?   Like taming my hair but on a bigger scale, it’s exhausting and time-consuming being a stepmom.

What if we embraced the “natural”?  What if we truly embraced the beauty that’s inherent in just simply being a stepmom?  What if we let go of other expectations?  What if we stopped trying to force things and just breathe and just be.  Once we learn to do that, I bet people will notice the natural beauty of it.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV.

Today I’m thankful for the beauty only He gives to each of us, and that each of us is beautiful in our own way.

What are you thankful for?

 

 

Happy Mother’s Day 2016, Stepmom!

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Here we are again:  it’s Mother’s Day.  That day we honor moms but aren’t quite sure how to honor other women (or even if we should, should we?).  (Answer:  yes we should!)

We played a game in church today.  Mothers were picked at random and asked to announce in front of the whole congregation how many kids they had.  Mind you, not only was this in front of the huge congregation, it was also broadcast live online with thousands in attendance.  My anxiety crept in.  We had chosen to sit in the middle of a long row, so hopefully that made it too hard for the TV camera and host to get to me.  They would pick women who sat on the end of a row, right?  But, if they pick me what will I say?  Maybe I would accidentally blurt out “why did you pick me?  this day is awkward enough, now thousands can see how awkward I feel?  Thanks!”   Or would I simply answer the  question about how many kids I have?  But wait, maybe that’s not so simple.  Would I say “I have two biological children.”  or  “I have two bio kids and three stepkids.”  Would my first answer offend my stepchild sitting in the pew with us?  Or would my second answer hurt her?  I pray in church…and today my prayer was “Lord, please don’t let them pick me!”  Thankfully they didn’t.  Dodged that bullet!  And another huge thanks:  we mothers didn’t have to stand up and be applauded.  Thankfully churches seem to understand how uncomfortable that is and have stopped.  (I mean, in that split second when they ask all mothers to stand you have to weigh:  am I a mother?  a mother-to-be? a stepmom (does that count?), who am I and am I good enough to stand?!?!  Or feel embarrassed, ashamed and hurt that one has not been able to have a child, has lost a child, is enduring difficult stepmom situations, or has lost a mom.  I certainly remember many Mother’s Days sitting in church with tears in my eyes because I was childless and not married yet, then when I was married but didn’t have children, then when I was re-married with stepkids not bio kids.

The truth is, Mother’s Day can get complicated.  Maybe that’s because mothers come in many shapes and sizes.  Moms don’t just come from the traditional bio-mom mold.

As Ruth demonstrated beautifully and faithfully, sometimes our family isn’t exactly who we anticipated it would be.  “Your people will be my people.”  (See Ruth 1:16).

Whatever kind of mom you are…you should be celebrated for the impact you have on a child’s life.  Whether you’re a mom who has a loud publicly acknowledged impact or a quiet supportive later-to-be-appreciated impact.  Whether you’re blood related or not. And don’t give up if you’re not quite there yet.  It’s a journey for all moms.  God tell us in Galatians 6:9 (NIV)  “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

I should run now.  I have to go cook with the beautiful pot holder my 3 year old colored for me, in the kitchen with the sorta-sorry-looking green and red flowers my kiddo picked out for me (yes green and red, but bless her little heart she insisted those were the perfect ones for mommy so I absolutely love them).  And you know why else I love those flowers?    Because my step kiddo took my bio kid to the store to get them.  And after 6 years in this blended family no one knew my favorite candy bar until yesterday and today my stepdaughter went out to buy me two.  Gotta go relish those.

Today I’m thankful for all the kinds of moms out there and for the blessings that come with that role. (and that I didn’t get called on in church!)

What are you thankful for?

 

 

 

 

The Stepmom Who Heard Voices

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It’s been said that we all hear a little voice in our head talking to us from time to time.  That little voice that tells us things.  Some say it’s like a tape we hear over and over.  (Tape as in tape cassette.  Yeah, that dates me, doesn’t it?)

Some tapes say things like:

“This will never get better.”

“This is not what I expected.”

“I can’t seem to do anything right.”

“I’m a failure.”

The good news is that sometimes we can change that “tape” that plays in our minds. Change it into something positive, inspirational.  Being a stepmom can be challenging for sure.  So, maybe, just maybe, we can make another “mix tape” to play in our minds.  (Back in the day…making mix tapes in the 80’s was super cool, even better when someone made one for you!  Maybe a little Prince, The Cure, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Journey, The Bangles….oh man, those were the days.  Anyway, I digress!).

Here are some ideas for my (and maybe your) new “mix tape” to play over & over:

“I am more precious than rubies.”  (Proverbs 3:15)

“I am strong and courageous.”  (Joshua 1:9)

“I am beautiful and wonderfully made.”  (Psalm 139:14)

“No matter what I go through, God is with me and protecting me.”  (Isaiah 43:2)

“All things work together for good for those that love the Lord” (Romans 8:28)

Today I am thankful that I can choose to listen to the “mix tape” of His truths and promises, not that little voice in my head or the messages the world gives!

What are you thankful for?

 

 

 

 

 

The Stepmom Who Shared

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Our son is four and he’s at the age when he’s learning to share.  He loves sharing his toys with his sister and teaching her about taking turns.

Tonight I came home and saw that my husband and son were snuggling in our giant bean bag chair.  They were having a great time watching a movie, eating popcorn and ice cream too!  When I tried to horn in on their boy time, my husband jokingly objected.

My husband:  “No, you can’t join us.  I’m snuggling with him, this is OUR time!”

My son:  “Daddy, share!”

Me:  “Daddy did share, honey.  He shared this movie with you, the ice cream and the popcorn.  You guys had a great time sharing all of this.”

My son:  “no Mommy, I mean Daddy should share ME with you.”

And of course we assured him that we would. He’s our “ours baby” and we definitely share him.  But part of me couldn’t help but wonder what this scenario is like for stepkids.  How often must they wish for their parents to share them more nicely?  How often do they feel they have to choose one parent over the other?  And how well can they really experience the joy of having their parents share in their lives when their parents are not in the same house or if they can’t get along for five minutes?

And so I stepped out of my Me-ness and remembered what their experience might be like, or should I say imagined what at least a sliver of what their experience might be like.

Today I’m thankful for the lessons I learn through being a stepmom, those of empathy and remaining tenderhearted in a fallen world.

Romans 12:15b (NIV)  “…mourn with those who mourn.”

Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV) “ And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

What are you thankful for today?

 

 

 

The Beautiful Stepmom

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Today I am inspired by words that our Lord speaks to us in Isaiah 61:3 (NIV)

“and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes, the oil of joy
    instead of mourning, and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

Beauty for ashes.  Isn’t that so blended-family-like?

Think of the “ashes” we have in our families.  From the adult perspective, maybe it’s the loss of a past marriage; the loss of our hopes and dreams about our first family and the way life was supposed to work out; the loss of a love; maybe a betrayal in our previous marriage; costly court cases; or loss of time and relationship with our children.  From the child perspective, maybe it’s the loss of family as he knew it and maybe even resulting depression and anger.

And yet, when we focus on the way God wants us to selflessly love our current spouses, children and stepchildren…there can be beauty from these ashes.  Sure it takes time (the average stepfamily takes 4-7 years to blend).  But nevertheless, there is beauty from ashes.    Who could take such an ugly, heart-breaking situation and make something beautiful from it?  Only God can perform that miracle.  And maybe, if we focus on the ashes so much, we miss the emerging beauty.  So today I’m thankful for the beauty in our imperfect family, and appreciative that over time it gets more & more beautiful (if I pay attention).

Today I am thankful that only He can bring beauty out of the ashes.

What are you thankful for?