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Listen while you read: "O Jesus I Have Promised"1 (Lyrics) |
What I love most about being a mom is my children's forgetfulness.
I remember many days when, as a mom with small children, I would want to run screaming down the street. You know those days when the bickering never stops, the spilled drinks could cause a flash flood, and "Mom" is seemingly the word to bellow when one is touched by one's sibling! Those days that stretched my patience beyond the limits, when bedtime could not come fast enough, still stick in my mind. I remember at day's end, when "Walton style" we would say our goodnights, and I would add, "Sorry Mom was so grouchy today", and from their rooms, I would hear in unison, "That's okay, Mom. You're a good mom"! I want to be able to forgive that easily!
Even now, many years since I have heard those sweet voices coming from the bedrooms in my house, I remember the love that was cheerfully given to that weary mom, and the forgiveness that overflowed, even though I felt undeserving of it.
Now, my grown daughters often say wonderful things to me that sometimes take me aback. I recall all the mistakes I made as a parent. I remember how many times I felt like a failure as a mom, and I wonder why they don't remember my mistakes and failures. But yet, my forgetful children love me. Isn't that grace?
Jesus said that we should all become like little children, and I know why! They are so very forgetful, just as He is. As we ask Him to forgive our sins, the Bible says He also forgets them. They are thrown into the sea of forgetfulness!
Hebrews 8:12 – For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. (NIV)
Micah 7:19 – You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. (NIV)
It's funny how those we try to instruct often instruct us.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for the forgetfulness of children. Thank You that You are forgetful of our forgiven sins, even though we don't deserve it. Help us to be just as forgiving and forgetful of the sins that are committed against us. Amen.
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Child custody: "Update April 26, 2925: T has not yet heard the final decision. April 14, 2025; Today and tomorrow..." 
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True words again! Thanks Jeanie.
Thank you Jeanie…this was wonderful.
Thank you so much for today’s devotional. I always enjoy what you write.
Thanks Jeanie, yes, children are so precious. Blessings to you and your family.
Good one. Thank you from the mums in my family.
(Manitoba)
Hope you will continue to contribute your wonderful down-to-earth stories.
I look forward every morning to start my day with this devotional. Thank you.
(ON.)
Thank you for sharing this encouraging and somewhat humorous but very much instructive devotional with us. To God be the glory, great things God has done, for God gave us the Son to redeem us from sin. May we always abandon waywardness! Blessings.
Thank you for your devotional.
I’m ninety-one years old, but remember well my loving parents, the sacrifices they made for us children especially during the Second World War in the Netherlands.
God has been so good to us!
Enjoyed reading your devotional today, Jeanie. Yes, we sure need be so thankful that our children are forgiving of things we’ve said to them but even more thankful to our loving Lord who is ever so faithful to forgive and forget our sins. He certainly is ever-deserving of our praise and gratitude. Blessings for your special writing and sharing about times with your children.
Good morning, Jeanie,
Thank you for your lovely message today. Your devotional made me smile from start to finish. My daughter is forever telling me about the wonderful things that I have done for her and her brother while they were growing up. Things I vaguely can remember. My son on the other hand reminds me of all the things I didn’t do. I was so busy doing I can’t remember the things that I didn’t do “according to my son”. The life of a Mother!
Good morning.
Thank you for writing this devotional.
Forgetfulness.
I am in the time of forgetting.
I need lots of forgiveness.
But I still remember Who I am.
I am a child of God.
Thank you.
Blessings.
Good morning, Jeanie,
It is wonderful to think back on my years as a young mother. I thought you were going to reflect on how forgetful children are to remember to take their hats and gloves or their homework and the constant reminders. Instead you are reminding us that children forgive and forget what we did willingly and wonderfully. God also doesn’t just forgive us our sins when we ask Him, He forgets them completely. I find this second part sometimes very difficult to do and yet I know it is an important step for my own well-being.
I will miss your posts to PresbyCan and want to thank you for willing to share your faith with others. Blessings.
Thank you for this very beautiful devotional. I can really relate to this.
Jeanie, this resonates with me, as I know all the mothering mistakes I made, yet my daughter will say she had a wonderful childhood! May we forget our mistakes as quickly as Jesus does.