The Making of a Mother: How to Be a Great Mom

Issue #11

Mom and I at a Mother’s Day Brunch Pre-Pandemic

Welcome to the 11th issue of The Aim and Soar Life, a weekly Christian personal growth and lifestyle newsletter that provides actionable, relatable, biblically rooted content to help you live abundantly and GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.

Hello Friend!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! I’m sending a shout-out to all the mothers, those who serve or have served as mothers in some capacity, and all those who have mothers! That pretty much takes care of everyone on the planet.

THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Kids don’t come with instructions, so even if a new mom or mom-to-be reads a ton of books on parenting, and talks to a million people, I don’t think anything can adequately prepare someone to be a mom. I’m reminded of the Peace Corps slogan: “The toughest job you’ll ever love.” You can’t convince me that slogan wasn’t created by a mom.😍

A lot of moms are the backbone of their families, keeping the ship sailing smoothly. But what really makes moms special is their determination to raise God-fearing, kind, and productive citizens in a society that can sometimes feel anti-God, anti-kind, and anti-productive.

NO ONE LIKE MOM

I gained a greater appreciation for my mother when I had my son at age twenty-five. She was a great help as I struggled through breastfeeding and post-partum depression. She gave me the mental and emotional support I needed and reminded me that motherhood isn’t perfect. It’s real.

Then, just a few years after I had my son, I went through a traumatic divorce—something I never wanted. It wasn’t in my plan. Taking care of a toddler by myself, while trying to make ends meet financially, didn’t quite align with the happily-ever-after story I’d written for my life.

But there I was, at twenty-nine years old, getting a taste of real life. It was one of the most stressful times of my adult life.

CLUELESS

I was working as a school social worker, and if that wasn’t stressful enough, my ex-husband had conveniently left me in over $56,000 in debt!

Most days, I was waking up like a robot, doing day-to-day tasks on auto-pilot. Sometimes, I couldn’t even get through a day without breaking down in a restroom. I was depressed, angry, and disillusioned—an emotional wreck. I was trying to trust God, but at the same time, I was questioning Him as to why life had to be so darn hard.

MOM TO THE RESCUE

Mom and LJ at My Brother’s Wedding in 2001 (He was a little tyke then)

My mom really stepped in at that time. I don’t know what I would have done without her. I remember her saying to me, “I don’t have much money, but I will help you in every way I can.” And that she did!

She picked my son up from daycare. She took him to doctor’s appointments. She came by to bathe him and put him to bed some evenings. She kept him over the weekends. The two of them were inseparable. And often for me, she would leave small amounts of money and notes that said, “Go get yourself a manicure and pedicure,” or “Treat yourself to lunch or the movies.”

The help my mom provided made all the difference to my mental health. I was falling apart. My world was spinning around like a tornado, and God sent my mom to help put my and my son’s life back in order.

All the things I had ever learned from my mom from childhood through adulthood, came back to me: resilience, patience, prayer, and faith in God. I remembered the sacrifices she made for me like working two jobs when I was in middle school and high school so that I could participate in enrichment activities and travel with my best friend and her aunt in the summers. Mommy went without buying things for herself sometimes so that I could be exposed to opportunities that would grow me as a person.

WHAT I KNOW NOW

LJ and I at His High School Graduation

The Dynamic Duo at His Graduation (LJ and his Maw Maw)

When I was raising my son as a single mother, (with help from my mom) I finally realized how hard the job of being a mom really is. As I said, there is no instruction manual for raising kids. Moms aren’t perfect. We sometimes get things wrong. As we grow as individuals, we tweak our parenting styles and lean on God for guidance.

I understand now what it takes to be a great mom. You don’t need lots of money or material things. You don’t have to spoil your kids with the latest tech and games. Simply be there for your kids and provide what you can emotionally, mentally, and financially, to help your children become whatever God has called them to be.

Teach your children the lessons that are important in life, like treating others with kindness, bringing good into the world, and loving God. These are the things that will follow them into adulthood. These are the things that matter.

Give whatever God has given you, whether it be advice or provision, and let God do the rest! After all, our children really belong to God. As moms, we are just His overseers.😍

Happy Mother’s Day!

Meet on the web:

www.sherrhondadenice.com

email: sherrhonda@sherrhondadenice.com

Until Next Time,

GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.

Sherrhonda 😍