Better Than I Was Back Then

Better Than I Was Back Then
By Cindy Beall
This week's topic: Mothers


I'm a better mother today than I was 10 years ago. I'm a better wife than I was 17 years ago. I'm a better friend than I was in 1987.


I've been reading a book about parenting children. It's chock full of information and quite frankly, I can only take the book in doses. Not only does it make my brain spin with great ideas and advice, but I've felt a few guilty pangs make their way to my insecure, parenting heart.

If I'm being honest, y'all...

But then something dawned on me just last night. I am training my sons. Training them in life, in godliness, in preparation for not only handling the things of this world, but also preparing them for eternity. They are making many mistakes along the way, but at the same time, they are also making strides.

My oldest, Noah, is brilliant. I might have mentioned that a time or twenty before. Well, he is and he takes after his dad on that. I cannot even begin to think that I contributed to his wit and intelligence. But, his looks?
Well, that's another story. He is the spittin' image of me.

Just the other day he made a comment about something he didn't have. He was comparing himself to his friends and said that they all had this thing he wanted. He had a minor pity party for himself and I said very calmly, "Where's your thankfulness for what you have?" I then left it at that and moved on. Within a couple of minutes he said, "I'm sorry for saying that."

He's growing. He's becoming the man of God I always believed he'd become. He's taking ownership for his actions. He is becoming a young man who actually thinks of others. Not always, mind you, but he is on his way.

But it's taken a lot of effort. A lot. Just like my parenting does.

I mentioned that I'm a better parent now than I was before his birth. It's true. I realize so much more now. And in 10 more years, I will realize so much more. I'll be a better parent in 10 more years.

As I train my sons to be who God wants them to be, I am also being trained by the hand of God to be a better parent. Sometimes I expect myself to be the perfect parent. But after last night, I am just praying that God would make me better and better, day by day, year by year.

Join me in that prayer, will you?

Scripture Of The Day: "And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you." - Philippians 1:6 (AMP)



Cindy Beall is a Christ follower who uses her gift of exhortation by writing and mentoring women. She uses her past experiences, including the near death of her marriage, to encourage people that God truly does redeem. For more information about Cindy, log onto http://www.cindybeall