probably the most important goal i have
on this blog
is to be authentic
i've said before that i never want to come across
as anything other than just who i am
i want my written words
to also be my spoken words
i want the person you perceive me to be
to be just that....
me
not some fabrication of who i long to be
a friend of mine posted a quote yesterday
that really convicted me
she talked about having grace with our children
& how the Lord responds to us with grace
His mercies are new
each morning
a clean slate
i stink at grace
i stink at patience
darn it
i'm a bottom line
let's fix it quick & move on kinda girl
there's no doubt in my mind
that the lord sent me the world's most patient man
to help compensate for my complete lack of patience
while we're not a door slamming
'i hate you' screaming family
on any given day
i usually have at least one daughter that has had it with me
all i really want to say
is i don't ever want anyone to think
that i think i'm a perfect mom
or let's make it even more realistic...a great mom
because i fail miserably
on most days
i want to be authentic
i want to balance the things i write
not just the happy cartwheel throwing days
but the times where i mess up
i love sharing about sneaking spinach in your child's morning smoothie
i love chatting about great books
and my white furniture
or beautiful scriptures that heal my soul
& i surely don't mind sharing areas in my life that need some help
this morning i began to think
about how i have so much to learn
but how the Lord often times
uses these four precious children
to teach me the most important lessons
my beautiful girls
are merciful with me
each morning their mercies are new to me
they forgive me
& their spirits are resilient
they've taught me more about grace
than anyone i've ever known
i guess it's because
i need it from them
more than anyone else
i've said before that i never want to come across
as anything other than just who i am
i want my written words
to also be my spoken words
i want the person you perceive me to be
to be just that....
me
not some fabrication of who i long to be
a friend of mine posted a quote yesterday
that really convicted me
she talked about having grace with our children
& how the Lord responds to us with grace
His mercies are new
each morning
a clean slate
i stink at grace
i stink at patience
darn it
i'm a bottom line
let's fix it quick & move on kinda girl
there's no doubt in my mind
that the lord sent me the world's most patient man
to help compensate for my complete lack of patience
while we're not a door slamming
'i hate you' screaming family
on any given day
i usually have at least one daughter that has had it with me
all i really want to say
is i don't ever want anyone to think
that i think i'm a perfect mom
or let's make it even more realistic...a great mom
because i fail miserably
on most days
i want to be authentic
i want to balance the things i write
not just the happy cartwheel throwing days
but the times where i mess up
i love sharing about sneaking spinach in your child's morning smoothie
i love chatting about great books
and my white furniture
or beautiful scriptures that heal my soul
& i surely don't mind sharing areas in my life that need some help
this morning i began to think
about how i have so much to learn
but how the Lord often times
uses these four precious children
to teach me the most important lessons
my beautiful girls
are merciful with me
each morning their mercies are new to me
they forgive me
& their spirits are resilient
they've taught me more about grace
than anyone i've ever known
i guess it's because
i need it from them
more than anyone else
period
these fun images
are great reminders to me
that i have four daughters
who are strong
who are brave
who are beautiful & athletic
four daughters who teach me so much about grace & mercy
each morning
i love you girls
i wish i were more like you
i want to be a great mom to you
to be a mom that you are proud of
a mom who wears cool jeans
& never hurts your feelings
who has cowboy boots that you want to borrow
fills up your love tank
a mom who cheers you on & has your back
and most importantly
gives you grace
just like you've taught me
i'm trying
i promise.....
Posts
40 comments:
What sweet and inspiring words. Grace with my children is something that I work on daily. Thanks for the reminder of how we get grace from God daily...that puts things into perspective! Great pictures.
Thank you for your heart my precious friend.
Lovin these images full of joy!
What a beautiful post and your tender, yet bold heart towards your girls. I have watched you in action modeling God's clear love towards them...and grace too.
Know between my Mom and you that if I ever get the opportunity to be a Mom that I want to be just like you two.
...and yes I smile and agree in our humanness
that God's mercies are new every morning.
Humbled and thankful for that.
xo-me
What sweet words. I think all of you are blessed to have each other.
Sweet post Paige -- thanks for the reminder of God's grace.
Love these photos of your incredibly agile and beautiful girls!
Janet
Your kindness and truth and proclaiming God as your strength as your help and strength illuminates here.
Those daughters of yours sure can jump! How do they get so high? Ha!
Fun pictures and I appreciate your transparency. God is faithful to teach us and grow us and I love the way He's using your girls to reveal Himself to you and to teach you....soooo sweet! LOVE HIM :-)
those pictures are fantastic!!!! I love them:)
I think you are so authentic and something I always hope to portray on my blog too ~ my true self...I think you do for sure Paige...your words are so wonderfully written
God's grace is amazing and something I feel my children already give to me so much...I love what my girls teach me too
xo
I love hearing of your heart for your girls. It thrills me...it really does. My girls do the same for me. Somehow they look past all my imperfections and make me feel special and loved every single day. It's from them that I learn forgiveness, grace and understanding.
Your words are very touching, but those photos amaze me. Not just the beauty of them, but DANG! Those girls can jump. It's not normal. I mean really jump and so high. WOW!
I really appreciate these honest and lovely words!
well my dear, i think you are all of those things and grace comes with accepting what we don't do right and learning our lessons and trying to be the best we can...you are the most authentic person I have "met" through blogland and a great shinning example of a mothers love! Love the photos, now how many did you take? 2000? :)
beautiful photos and your words are amazing...they always are.
miss you.
xo
your words are always beautiful and so inspiring. they make me aspire to be a better person. thanks for that. great photos of the girls. they are so cute!!!
.......did they teach you their *moves* too? They are awesome! Your girls are beautiful and don't you love what we learn through them? I too am thankful that they give me the grace I do not deserve.
Thanks, Paige,
I need this
reminder....
often. You
are so very
right about
their spirits
being resilient,
thank the Lord!
Beautiful.
xx Suzanne
these pictures of your girls make me miss my days of cheering..hard to believe it'll be 20 years this year since I've let my body bend in those ways!
i love how authentic you are...it's refreshing.
Paige,
I think you ARE one of the authentic ones. Your honest and heart shine on your blog and I am grateful to have found you. You are teaching me so much through your humble heart. I've always thought of writing in my journal a letter to my kids and reading your note on here reminded me of that. What a gift these are for years to come, as in the song "when everything's said and done". I love it. Thank you
ps I have 2 grown daughters 25, 24 and 1 son 19 - oldest just got married June 5/10 - My note to my son would read slightly different - I'll have to think about that.
Just beautiful. I don't think there is anything as a perfect Mom ~ after all, we are all human. I think the most important thing is being able to admit when we make a mistake and apologize when we need to and you have this covered. The love you have for your daughters radiates! xo
being a mom is truly a self-sacrifice.......we sacrifice everything for them at times....I just heard yesterday from a priest on the radio "parent's...you deserve respect from your children....and children you deserve respect from your parents" it's so true...respecting each other at home is where it all starts!! I think blogs have done just that - helped us all respect and admire the good people see within themselves - who they aspire to be - and sometimes who they really are...like you sweet Paige -
Paige you are just what we all need...a real friend! I think if we are honest patience is not a virtue many of mothers possess...maybe it has to do with multitasking?? Thank goodness for the grace and mercy extended to us by our families here on Earth and more importantly our Father in heaven...I know I couldn't do without it! You have to be exploding with "proud" of your sweet and beautiful daughters! Speaking of, I am off to see my sweet one very early in the morn! :)
~hugs!
Oh what a lovely post. When I read your posts, I think you do come across as being very authentic. I love that you sneak spinach into the girls smoothies. It's nice to share these sneaky things as well as the good things. Your girls are very lucky to have you as a mom (or mum as we spell it here).
Paige...how is it that you always nail exactly how I'm feeling. Patience is definitely not a virtue I was blessed with....and my four lovebugs teach me on a daily basis just how much more I have to learn about the art of patience. I know that they were sent to me as a unique gift from my father. But you know what? I am a gift to them as well. I just have to remember that we were designed by the Father to be a family, and that we are here to help one another on our journey home. And that he made us to be uniquely suited to one another for just that purpose.
xoxo
Wendy
I just love your beach photos...especially the leaping ones.!
Lovely post.
what a beautiful, beautiful post!! i only hope to be such a thoughtful and great mom!! i love your blog, and you give me so much inspiration. right now when I am struggling with two little ones. i know that there is so much important parenting left to do!
A wonderful post...such encouragement for all of us little lumps of clay who are still a work in progress!
Oh what FUN pictures!
The THRILLS you captured in these shots are priceless!
What a sweet post.
So full of the rawest depths of yourself.
Thank you.
Thank you for showcasing your HEART!
This is what I LOVE to find when I am scrolling through blogs.
When I land on someone's HEART...
I stay awhile!
Delighted to find you Paige.
What a sweet heart you are!
ANd your girls...just GLOW!
Wanna know WHY I think they GLOW as they do?
Cause they have a Mother like YOU!
I'm almost certain of that!
This is one of my favorite post ever!
So delighted to find you.
Thank you!
xo
Teresa
Bainbridge Island WA
Paige, this is such a beautiful post. i'm not the most patient girl either, something i struggle with every day. it is pretty amazing what you can learn from your kids, isn't it. they are such a blessing. have a beautiful weekend! hugs, susan
You are so awesome Paige! I love you how you are, I too am just who I am, sometimes I wish I could start all over again with my kids, enjoy the little things instead of snapping at them. Life throws so many curves at us, we are constantly trying to re-invent ourselves in order to keep up. I have taken a hard look at myself lately, next week I turn 40 and I am really looking at it as turning a new chapter in my life book. A fresh start in so many ways. And grace is something I hope just oozes from my pores someday.
Your girls are so lucky to have a mom like you, you keep it real and I am sure they know how blessed they are to have you in their lives. Love the jumping picture with momma in it!
These pictures are fantastico!
But even better - the Truth. Cory and I just talked about this a few nights ago. We are their example of Christ's mercy and grace. They need to experience love undeserving in order to see the bigger picture. Thank you for sharing this, Paige. You make me smile. :)
Oh Paige...I mess up every single day too...
But from where I sit it looks like you are a wonderful Mom!!!
Beautiful and moving... blessing to have such a wonderful patient husband myself.. he he... =) I could never have put my words so beautifully ... but I too am thankful for the ways in which God moves in us through our kidlings as we live, learn and love! =)
I love your girls swim suits!! I would love to know where you shop for your youngest daughter!! She has the cutest clothes!! I have a 6 year old daughter and she would love to get some cute stuff for school!! Thanks for being so honest and real!!
such sweet and tender words, my friend.
what a brilliant God we have... nestling us right inside the families we belong. ... i can feel that here. ... in my home too.
i love
love
these photos
: )
xo
Paige- I love that you talk about both sides. I don't live a perfect life either and I never want people to think I do. Teenagers are a great way to learn just how imperfect we really are. We are going to mess up, lose our patience and hurt feelings occasionally. I think it's okay. Our Momma's weren't perfect either. I know your girls adore you anyway!
My first time over. LOVE your blog. It is real and authentic, just like every blogger wants to read!
Your family is gorgeous.
well, sweet paige, you are not alone. as it is, my own daughter is shut in her room with the ipod (she's 9) because she's mad at me.
it is what it is. they test us, i guess. but i so appreciate your realness. it's so important...and so rare. :)
Paige, what a beautiful post with beautiful daughter pictures and beautiful meaning! Your authenticity certainly comes through AND the beauty of YOUR soul!! This Lord Loving, Southern Mama is lovin' all that you-- Lord loving, southern Mama-- has to say......Blessings, Cate
wow. just took a quick little break from laundry (we are leaving for our beach trip Sat.) to read YOUR blog and I love it. You are amazing.
aww paige... sometimes we just need to write it down. i certainly feel like the un-great mom most days... and am always thankful when one of my kiddos sides up to me and whispers that i am the best mom ever. yes... they ar much better at grace than i. thanks for sharing your heart :)
AWESOME. Love this post and I'm pretty sure I love you too. Reading this makes me want to be better. Thank you.
And I so wish you were with us as the beach to take our pictures :-)
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