MORE than Doubly Blessed

I was blessed to have very involved parents who loved me and trained me to seek the Lord. I am still blessed by their involvement in my life and the lives of my children. But I am more than doubly blessed, because I have many "mothers" in faith. Last night we had one of the lil' bit older couples from our church family over for dinner. They are so much fun! But more than fun, they are an encouragement to Shorty's and my faith.

It had been "one of those days" for me where it felt like everything went wrong. (Even the things that went RIGHT!-- and there were quite a few!) And I was feeling more than a bit overwhelmed! But as I talked with my "mother" last night, she encouraged me that there are important things that I am doing well. And she challenged me to keep trucking in the difficult, but important, things.

And then I marveled at how God uses His people to build one another up, because our lives are somewhat similar, but VERY different! I realized that the reason that she was able to speak such helpful words into my life is because we have shared priorities, and she loves me!

Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Proverbs 1:8-9
 
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
Titus 2:3-5

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
Matthew 22:37-40