MOPS: March Coordinator's Article

March goes in like a lion and out like a lamb. It’s that way this month when the bitter cold as we enter March is morphed into the beginnings of spring as April approaches. And, as human as we are, it is sometimes like that as we go through life and are faced with challenges that make us want to just roar like a lion!


As a mother of preschoolers, I certainly humble myself to admit that there are just some days when that lion wrestles with my patience. You know, one of those days. Maybe something is on your mind or you had an argument with a spouse. Maybe you have a full calendar today that really doesn’t have room for wiping noses and tushies. Maybe your dear little ones are constantly arguing or whining or clawing at your leg as you try to do, well, anything. Maybe you just want to go to the bathroom in peace: alone and with the door locked instead of with a full house watching your performance.

I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes it is just tough to keep that lamb safe from being attacked by the snarling feline within. If you put your guard down for a minute, it could eat you alive. Kids get snapped at, tears start, voices are raised. It is never a pretty sight. And to make matters even worse, episodes such as these are usually  followed by guilt and remorse. Who really is winning in this situation? Not the downtrodden mother or the tearful child, but only that sly serpent who is sitting back watching us take a bite of the apple.

Since becoming a God-fearing Christian woman, I have often prayed over James 1:19, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Yes, this means even when that 2 year-old has been talking the entire day; when that 4 year-old throws yet another tantrum (isn’t he too old for this anyways?); or when that 6 year-old begs you to play Candy Land for the umpteenth time this week when you really would prefer to get some work done around the house or in the office instead.

God has hand-picked these tender little hearts to be sculpted and shepherded by you, the one who often feels unworthy or inferior in the mother role. He knows that nobody is more perfect for your young one than you and believes in your ability to raise these children up to know the  Lord and to help to guide their path. He even provides us with instructions on how to best raise these little ones: the Bible.


So as a mother, when the days seem endless and naptime evades your household, take a deep breath, get out your Bible and recite James 1:19 a few times. It is such a calming, restorative verse that never fails to open my ears to listen to a round of why questions for the millionth time. It holds my tongue when I just feel like truncating that round of curiosity with a curt response. And it calms my soul when I feel like yelling at one of those sweet little ones. As Christian women, we know the Bible is the tool to keep that ferocious lion within us at bay so that the gentle lamb can rest peacefully. Let’s go ahead and use what God has given to us.

Blessings!