Mild, Medium or Extra Hot

In my twenty years of motherhood, a merciful God has shown me a few things that seem to work. Years ago, a dear, wise friend introduced me to one of the secrets of my success. It is what I fondly refer to as the flamethrower principle.

The flamethrower principle states this: every mother worth her salt keeps an imaginary flamethrower close at hand. And she’s not afraid to use it! Of course, this is only on condition of never disclosing to the child that one has such thoughts. Since when does a Christian women's blog talk about roasting children? Let me explain.

All around the globe, mothers will tell you their children are their greatest treasure in life. This is not false piety; it is true. But as best as I can tell, any mother who denies ever envying the animal kingdom mode of eating one’s young has an honesty issue.

Hurting a child betrays every foundation of Christian parenting. However, wanting to hurt a child is another story. If moms could be convicted on their thoughts, I would have rightfully gotten the electric chair a long time ago. But by acknowledging my occasional desire to hurt my little darlings, I head off ever actually doing so.

Thankfully, God never asks us to be more than He enables us to deliver. When I concede my human failings, I can rely more heavily on my Lord to run the show. So I say we make room to admit our losses of patience, our frustrations and downright bafflement when it comes to being moms. God is more than able to take up the slack.

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear no children were harmed in the writing of this blog today.

May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.

The last Word:
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses . . . for when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12: 9, 10, NIV.