Back in 2009 I wrote this little devotional book for moms and was very excited for it to be published in March 2010. I received a box of author copies and excitedly took pictures with some of my kids—the same kids I had shushed a lot and secluded myself from to write it. What an exciting day and week and month and year!
March 2010 was also when I forgot to renew my tag on my 12-passenger van and got pulled over in, um, July, when a nice officer informed me of my expired tag. Said officer pulled me over right after my then 7-year-old 6th child spouted at the traffic light: “There’s a police officer. He’s going to pull you over and take you to jail!” She had no idea about any of my impending violations, she was just a bit of a smart aleck.
But this mom was slightly nervous because I was driving with an expired driver’s license due to the fact that when I had gone to the tag agency a few months before (known as the license bureau in some states) to renew it before it expired, the computer system was down. By the time I remembered again, I was outside the 30-day window, so I had to order a copy of my birth certificate from another state. So when the officer got behind me and flipped on his lights, I could not figure out how he knew my driver’s license was expired. In all my book excitement, I did not realize my tag was expired and that is what got his attention. Oops.
When the officer approached the window, he asked to see my license and insurance verification. I handed him my license and sighed, “It’s expired.” Then I searched fruitlessly for my insurance verification, a slip of paper I always kept in the van, but of course, it was nowhere to be found that day. Expired tag, expired license, and no proof of insurance—three strikes and I was out. On that day in July, 2010, after driving ticket-free for 31 years, this newly published author did not actually go to jail, but I did receive my first ticket. A momentous year, indeed.
Back to present day…Just out of curiosity, I checked on the internet to see where the book that sold millions and has been reprinted several times that is now out of print is still available, and I found this really weird listing on Amazon that apparently offers 10 copies for $599.60…and don’t forget the $3.99 shipping fee. What?
Well, have I got a deal for you. If you would like a hardcover copy of this 365-day devotional, I have a limited number and will gladly send you one for $10 each plus $2 shipping—first come, first serve. If you purchase 5 or more, I’ll cover the shipping. Drop me an email at wordsbeyondme @ cox.net (no spaces) and let me know how many you would like and where to send them. Then I will share payment information, as in, where you do not have to send $599. You’re welcome.
The book is a compilation of short daily entries consisting of my original parenting thoughts and poetry, along with scripture, quotations from some famous folks, and my commentary. Here’s a little preview:
This poem resulted from my thinking about the things we chase after, only to discover that God can use the joy of motherhood to fill some of our empty places.
Mothering (Day 243)
My body is tired
My mind is mired
It has become distressing.But just when I think
I’m on the brink
God gives me another blessing.Hugs and a kiss
Heavenly bliss
Upon me He’s impressingA child’s love
Is far above
Others worth possessing.
This next writing was inspired partly by my own tendency to compare myself with other moms who seem to have it all together. The funny thing is, they're probably also looking around at all the other moms who seem to have it all together. Just who are those other moms anyway?
Nobody’s Perfect (Day 224)
Say this with me: There is no perfect mother. There now, don’t you feel better? No matter how it appears, no matter how perfect someone looks, no one gets this motherhood thing exactly right all the time. We are all works in progress who make mistakes - sometimes big ones. Good thing our goal isn’t to be perfect. It’s to be perfectly usable.
I remember a speaker at our church many years ago told the following story about himself. It stuck with me for good reason. How often do we ask God to do something He is already doing?
In His Hands (Day 72)
A man traveling out of town asked God to take care of his children while he was away. God replied, “Who do you think takes care of them while you’re here?” What a comforting reminder that even though we go to great lengths to ensure the safety and well-being of our children (and rightly so), the Lord is their supreme caretaker!
As I recall, I actually had been awakened on the morning I wrote this next poem by my seventh child who was three at the time of writing. Although it was always exhausting to be summoned in the wee hours by a small person, I did become more accepting of it as I had more kids and realized how quickly the time came when they didn't need me in the middle of the night anymore. These days, with our youngest at 16, I just wake up all by myself for no apparent reason. So, in heaven I will either sleep all I want to or sleep will no longer be required. Either way, I shall feel rested!
For Now (Day 16)
I awoke this morning
At three o’clock
To crying in my ears.
I calmed my child
Tucked her in
Then thought of all the years
Of diaper changes
Newborn cries
Feedings in the night
And told myself
Someday I’ll sleep
But for now I’ll hold her tight.
I guess I wrote this next one just to make myself cry. I blinked and my baby is 16.
Never Again (Day 255)
Dinosaurs in my bathtub
Building blocks on the floor
Stuffed animals in my bed
Handprints on the door.Peanut butter, jelly kisses
Macaroni and cheese
Picture books and bedtime prayers
Memories are made of these.Homework, college tests
Career decisions then
Suddenly my child is grown--
Never small again.
And one more just for the fun of it. I think this one stemmed from my being continually frustrated with intricately planning our homeschooling days, only to wake up to kids puking or running fevers or the septic system backing up in our laundry room and running under the kitchen cabinets. The schedule flying out the window became so frequent that it went from frustration to just plain humorous. And at one point when my kids saw me making a schedule on the computer, they would moan, "Oh, I don't feel so good..." Real funny, guys.
Flexibility (Day 293)
There’s the possibility
that planning is futility,
so employ flexibility,
that the fragility
of your security
doesn’t cause senility.
For in all probability,
your controllability
limits your adaptability.
So live in reality
and decrease your anxiety
by adapting to
changeability--
immediately.
Know some moms who could use some encouragement? Have a baby shower coming up for which you need a gift? Birthdays…Christmas…Here ya go.
Thanks for reading.
In His grace,
Janice
Selections from Blessings for Mothers are copyrighted by Barbour Publishing, Inc. 2010.