Corinthians 13 for Mothers

Thank you Vanessa...I LOVE THIS...


Corinthians 13 for Mothers

• I can read bedtime stories till the cow jumps over the moon and sing "Ten Little Monkeys" until I want to call the doctor but if I don't have love, I'm as annoying as a ringing phone.
  
• I can chase a naked toddler through the house while cooking dinner and listening to voice mail, I can fix the best cookies and Kool-Aid in the neighborhood, and I can tell a sick child's temperature with one touch of my finger, but if I don't have love, I am nothing.
  
• Love is patient while watching and praying by the front window when it's 30 minutes past curfew.
  
• Love is kind when my teen says, "I hate you!"
  
• It does not envy the neighbors' swimming pool or their brand-new mini van, but trusts the Lord to provide every need.
  
• Love does not brag when other parents share their disappointments and insecurities, and love rejoices when other families succeed.
  
• It doesn't boast, even when I've multi-tasked all day long and my husband can't do more than one thing at a time.
  
• Love is not rude when my spouse innocently asks, "What have you done today?"
  
• It does not immediately seek after glory when we see talent in our children, but encourages them to get training and make wise choices.
  
• It is not easily angered, even when my 15-year-old acts like the world revolves around him/her.
  
• It does not delight in evil (is not self-righteous) when I remind my 17-year-old that he's going 83 in a 55-mph zone, but rejoices in the truth.
  
• Love does not give up hope. It always protects our children's self-esteem and spirit, even while doling out discipline.
  
• It always trusts God to protect our children when we cannot.
  
• It always perseveres, through blue nail polish, burps and other bodily functions, rolled eyes and crossed arms, messy rooms and sleep-overs.
  
• Love never fails. But where there are memories of thousands of diaper changes and painful labor(s), they will fade away.
  
• Where there is talking back, it will (eventually) cease. (Please, Lord?)
  
• Where there is a teenager who thinks she knows everything, there will one day be an adult who knows you did your best.
  
• For we know we fail our children, and we pray they don't end up in therapy, but when we get to heaven, our imperfect parenting will disappear. (Thank you, God!)
  
• When we were children, we needed a parent to love and protect us. Now that we're parents ourselves, we have a heavenly Father who adores, shelters us and holds us when we need to cry.
  
• And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.