Tina Kapp
Some of my earliest memories are of riding on the back of a motorcycle, behind my mom. And it wasn't just for a spin around the block. We were a missionary family and lived in countries where motorcycles were often the most practical or affordable means of transportation. (I grew up in Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Macau, and Singapore.) But that wasn't the only unusual or outstanding thing about Mom. She always made a point to learn and fit into the local culture as much as she could, and she loved to communicate with people in their own language. She was also an expert at organizing fun, educational outings for us kids, and encouraged us to try local foods, sports, and ways of doing things. I moved to Uganda as a young adult, and after a while Mom joined me. It was wonderful to see how quickly and well she adapted to Africa after having lived in Japan for many years. As always, she was eager to learn new things, studying various local dialects and learning all she could about the Ugandan culture. It wasn't long before she was greeting sellers at the street market in their own vernaculars. She got to know all of our Ugandan neighbors, right down to details of their children's education and interests, and she never hesitated to help a friend or stranger in need. She also hadn't lost her fun-loving, slightly reckless side. On one of her days off, she could be found riding her dirt bike to Lake Victoria, renting motorbikes for others of us to learn to ride, or her favorite—kayaking down the Nile. The best moms, I've found, aren't necessarily perfect cooks or housekeepers, but they love their children completely and in their own way. They also set an example by living what they teach, and aren't afraid to let their children try new things and be themselves. And while they're at it, they enjoy life to the full.
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Powerpoint dedicated to all mothers. Happy Mother's Day! By Marie Claire
About a week before my son Tristan's fourth birthday, I talked with him about how much he had grown up in the past year, how much he had learned, and how proud I was of him for the progress he had made. Then we talked about his birthday and what he wanted to do for his party. As usual, I let him choose what kind of birthday cake he wanted. Last year he chose a "caterpillar" cake, as at the time bugs fascinated him. That cake wasn't too difficult--just a string of crescent-shaped cake pieces with bright, multicolored icing. I expected him to choose something equally simple this year, so you can imagine my chagrin when, after looking through a book with imaginative cake ideas for children, he chose the "knights and castle" cake. I looked at the detailed drawing, read over the explanation, and felt immediately that I had bitten off a bit more than I could chew. But Tristan was sure he wanted a castle cake, knights and all. Before I knew it, his birthday was upon me, and I set to work on the cake. Book in hand, I tried to follow the directions as best I could, but soon realized why there was only a drawing of this castle cake, not a photograph, as with most of the other designs. There was a gulf between concept and finished product, and I was adrift and sinking! My cake was lopsided, the icing didn't stick well, and the turrets weren't equal in height or diameter. I couldn't find any toy knights, so I settled for a Lego figure of a man on a horse. I felt so under pressure and discouraged! Poor Tristan, I thought. He's going to be so disappointed! He's been looking forward to and talking about his knights and castle cake all week, and now look what he's going to get! Things never turn out the way I want them to! Tristan is sure to be one unhappy little boy when he sees his mother's version of his dream cake! I finally finished the cake, adding the final touches as best I could--paper flags, cookies along the top of the walls that were supposed to look like stones but kept falling over at awkward angles, and "grass" made from shredded coconut dyed with food color that somehow turned out a muddy mossy color. I was done, but felt like crying. I cleaned up my mess and decided I'd better let Tristan see the cake, to prepare him for the embarrassing moment when he and his friends would see it at the party. As Tristan entered the room, I studied his expression and prayed for just the right thing to say to cheer him up and help him not to take it so hard. Tristan's eyes widened and, to my surprise, a huge smile spread across his face. "Wow, Mom! It's so cool!" he exclaimed. "It's just what I wanted!" I nearly burst into tears as he went over to the cake, inspected each part, and said it was exactly the way he wanted it to be. Then he ran over and hugged me, thanked me for making it for him, and lifted his hand to his mouth as if to tell me a secret. I bent over to let him whisper in my ear. "I love you!" he said, and then ran off to tell his friends about what he'd just seen. After he left the room I sat there a while, thinking about what I'd just experienced. In those few minutes I was taught a lesson that can take a lifetime to learn. How many times had things in my life turned out differently than I had hoped or imagined? How many times had my dreams seemed to turn out a little lopsided, distorted, with pieces missing? How many times had I questioned God and not fully accepted or appreciated what He had done for me? Oh, that I can learn to see life through the eyes of a child--full of faith, hope, love, and positiveness, instead of seeing the imperfections. Oh, that I can learn to see the good and the wonder of it all. I stayed in that magic moment as long as I could. Drinking in the scene of that misshapen cake before me and the fresh memory of Tristan's sweet reaction, I asked God to forgive me for my recent negative outlook on life and to help me see things the way my son had seen that cake. Then a funny thing happened. As I stared at the cake, it took on a cartoon quality and I actually began to like it! Best and most important, Tristan liked it. It was his birthday, after all. Originally published in Activated Magazine. Used with permission. Parenting has never been easy, but all parents have one great thing going for them from day one: Their children love and look up to them more than anyone else in the world. This is an important part of the grand scheme of things, because while your children are a gift from Heaven, they are a work in progress. It’s your job to help them grow into loving, responsible adults. The love and respect your children feel for you are inborn, but they aren’t static. They increase or diminish day by day according to how you interact with your child, so don’t betray their trust. Set the kind of example they will be proud to follow. If you want your children to be outgoing and genuinely concerned about others, be that way yourself. If you want them to be unselfish, be unselfish. If you want them to be honest, be honest. If you want them to be optimistic and solution-oriented, let them see you approach life’s challenges and disappointments positively. If you want them to have thankful hearts, thank and praise God for His goodness at every turn. *** Try to set a good example.—not of some kind of a perfect, sinless saint which your child may feel he could never measure up to, but of an honest, happy, humble example of a friend and loving parent, someone whom kids can look up to and trust. You have to try to be what you want your children to be. Children are great mimics, and this is largely how they learn, by imitation. Children seldom forget what they see. They go more by what they see than by what they hear, more by your actions than just your words. Children will learn more from your actions and even your attitudes than they will from what you say! Think of what you would like to be in the eyes of your child and be that parent! Courtesy Aurora Productions / TFI. Used with permission.
Your love and care for your children won’t go unrewarded. Every diaper changed, every spill cleaned up, every meal prepared, every lesson taught, every mistake forgiven, every tear shed, every word of encouragement given, every hug, every kiss, every bit of sacrifice, every prayer-all of these are helping to make them children that you can be proud of.
Although they may not always say so or act like it, they’re proud to have a mother like you. They don’t understand how you can keep loving them when they feel they least deserve it, but they want it and appreciate it and know they need it. ***** Raising a child is like painting a masterpiece. As the painter applies layer upon layer to her canvas, day by day you shape the life of your little one. The artist doesn’t begin with the smallest details, but uses broad strokes to map the basic shapes of her painting. Then, with patience and great care, she adds new tones and a little more detail each day, until finally she can step back and admire her handiwork-a finished product she can be proud of. So it is for mothers: Patiently and with tender loving care, mothers help transform little children into mature men and women. One day you will step back and admire your work of art. Others will never fully understand or appreciate the years of hard work and loving care it took to produce your masterpiece, but you will know that it was worth it all! ***** Old-fashioned motherhood never goes out of style because it’s all about love. Mothers are the embodiment of love and care and tenderness-love that even the tiniest baby can feel and respond to. So if you think you’re missing out or living in the past because you’re stuck at home “just” caring for a baby or raising children when you could be pursuing a career, think again. Love is the best thing in life! It’s the most important lesson anyone can ever learn and the greatest gift anyone can ever receive-and mothers teach it and give it like no one else. Life would go on fine without many things, but not without mothers. Old-fashioned motherhood is here to stay! Courtesy of "From Jesus with Love - for Her" by Aurora Productions. Used with permission. Motherhood is the most important job there is. If you don’t believe that, try asking a few people who had the greatest influence on them while they were growing up. It doesn’t matter who you ask, from the humblest to the greatest, the most frequent answer by far will be, “My mother.” Today’s mothers-and that includes you-are shaping the people who will shape tomorrow’s world. Your children will grow up to be world changers. They may not have an impact on the whole world, but they will have an effect on the world of those around them, for better or for worse. It’s your responsibility to set your children on the right path. * Children are not born with knowledge of the virtues. They must learn what they are. * Attaining virtue is like so much else in life: It takes lots of practice. By putting virtues into action over and over again, we help them take root. Eventually they become second nature—they become part of one’s character. * Your family is the first and most important school of morality. Home is where your child comes to know right and wrong through the nurturing and protective care of those who love him/her more than anyone else. Teachers should be allies in this endeavor, but they cannot be substitutes. Schools cannot replace parents in the crucial task of molding character in the young. * Teach your children to care deeply about the good. * “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” - Proverbs 22:6 * You may feel insignificant in the grand scheme of life, but you are daily creating the world that tomorrow’s children will live in. Each decision you make helps to shape the legacy that will be left to them. * Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders. How today’s parents train their children determines the future of the world. * Invest in your children. Give them your time, your attention, your love. They are the future. * Whatever you teach a child, whether it’s through your words or through your actions, lives on forever in his or her heart. * Put a premium on giving your children and young people the well-rounded upbringing they need and deserve. * If you set the right example for your children during their formative years, those bonds of love and respect will be unbreakable. And your children will grow into adults whom you can be proud of. Quotations from William Bennett, "The Educated Child", "Mottos for Success" desktop quote book and "From Jesus with Love - For Women"
There's a lot more to being a mother than just having a baby! It takes a real mother to raise and care for a baby and do all the work that's involved--and it's a full-time job! Motherhood is probably one of the hardest jobs in the whole world, yet one that is seldom appreciated enough. People who have never done it can't possibly appreciate what a big job it is! It takes great faith and a whole lot of plain hard work. Even with all the conveniences of modern living to take much of the pain out of housekeeping, children are still a full-time job! To do the job of a mother takes the strength of Samson, the wisdom of King Solomon, the patience of Job, the faith of Abraham, the insight of Daniel, and the administrative ability and courage of King David. David was a fighter, and it takes a lot of fight to be a mother. It also takes the love of God, that's for sure! Motherhood is just about the greatest calling in the world! Mothers of the next generation are the ones that are molding the future. The world of tomorrow is what the mothers of today make it, according to the way they raise their children. Children make us parents serious about life and inspire us to be good and do good, to be an example and train them in the way they should go. We realize the sober responsibility of having a little child's life in our hands, and that he's going to be what we make him. Probably the final greatest influence in your life will be your own children. Psychologists say that a child learns more in the first five years of his life than he'll learn in all the rest of his life put together. Those first years are extremely important. Parents can't wait till their children are five years old; every passing day is important. Parents are responsible to see to it that their children are not only fed and clothed and protected, get proper sleep and are physically healthy, but that they are also trained, taught, stimulated mentally, and inspired spiritually. It cannot be stressed sufficiently how important children are to the future, or how important a mother's job is. God will bless you mothers for all you give of yourselves for these precious, eternal gifts from Him, your children. In fact, He is no doubt blessing you daily in ways that others can't even imagine! Train your children in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6). When they are grown, your children will be so thankful that they had a real mother! Written by David B. Berg; originally published in Activated magazine. Used with permission With all that there is to do in your busy lives, it’s sometimes easy to see your children as just one more thing you must take care of, and if you’re faced with a particularly hectic day, the simplest course of action can seem to be that of letting them entertain themselves with toys, videos, or games, while you take care of the business of the day. What you need to realize is that what you pour into your children each day is what helps to prepare them for their future. The love, concern, discipline, and attention that you fill up your child’s life with, is what helps them to mature into the person they’ll become. If you are too busy to give your children the time and love that they need, you’ll miss out on one of life’s best investments; while you may meet other expectations of your day, those things will not live on eternally. It’s what you pour into your children that lives beyond today. You will always have work to take care of—the house to clean, a pile of clothes to launder, and bills to pay—but you won’t always have your children with you, and you won’t be able to regain the moments you lost “because you were too busy.” Every day, every moment, counts in helping to build your child’s future, and making them who they will become. The more you pour into your children, the more they will learn. You can use every opportunity to teach them something; and you can fill up their lives with happiness by the zeal and inspiration you exude in the way you live your life. Caring for your children can also teach you many things personally; in fact, many a wise soul has been taught a lesson through the sincerity, love, and simplicity of a child. Always remember that the years of childhood are precious; you’re helping to shape your child’s future by what you give to them, so make it count, make it worthwhile. You’ll never regret it. © TFI. Used with permission. By Bil Keane In the nearly 30 years that I’ve drawn the syndicated cartoon “The Family Circus,” I’ve learned a lot about love. I’ve found it in my own family, and frequently what I’ve observed has provided the basis for a cartoon with Billy, Dolly, Jeffy or PJ. But I make no secret about it—when it comes to love, my greatest inspiration, and the model for “Mommy,” has been my own wife, Thel. We have five children (and now four grandchildren), and when they were younger, people often wondered how Thel managed with so many. I often wondered too. Whether she was soothing the hurt of a scraped knee, sitting in the audience at a school play, or helping with homework at the kitchen table, Thel was always there for us. And the more she did for us, the more she seemed to have to give us. That was how I came upon one of God’s paradoxical laws of love. Real love doesn’t come in limited, finite amounts. It can’t be used up so there is no more. Instead, in a manner that defies physics, the more love you give, the more you’re able to give. Like enthusiasm that fosters enthusiasm, kindness that inspires kindness, cheerfulness that inevitably spreads, love increases when it’s given away. I tried to put all that in one of my cartoons. There is Mommy, a full bag of groceries in one hand, her purse in the other, and Billy, Dolly, Jeffy and PJ tugging at her knees. The woman at the left asks the question, “How do you divide your love among four children?” And Mommy’s answer, real words to grow on: “I don’t divide it. I multiply it.” ***** The Essence of Love All the best things in life come packaged in a ribbon of risk. You untie the gift, you assume the risk, and equally, the joy. Parenthood is like that. Marriage is like that. Friendship is like that. In order to experience life in the full sense, you expose yourself to a bottomless pit of vulnerability. That is the essence of true love.—Kristin Armstrong Many mothers are tempted to feel that everything they do for their children goes unnoticed and that they are literally invisible. This encouraging video shows just how important a mother is. |
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