Dear Me 2

So, as I'm getting ready to write the second half of this post, I'm laughing at the title.  My kids love movies.  Some of their favorites are Cars 1 and 2, Despicable Me 1 and 2, Kung Fu Panda 1 and 2, etc.  Even to the point where movies without a sequel will get a number.  For example, "Mom, can I watch Mary Poppins 1?"  Makes me chuckle.  Now, back to the future (another good movie).

Dear Future Me,

You have done a great job.  Not that I know now what that will be or even that in these days I feel like we will do a great job, or even a mediocre job, I am choosing today to believe that we turn out okay.  That God has me here for some reason and that I'm going to turn into you and that there will be a point and that it's a good one.  I choose to wake up today believing that I won't get everything wrong and that I'll figure some things out and that I will be faithful this day.  If we continue doing that, won't we turn out alright?  Won't we do a great job?  So, here we go.

Still, I wish you were here to remind me that we will do a great job.  Because the kids will be banging on the door in a few minutes and I'll forget all the optimism and probably procrastinate on homeschool and chores and probably lose my temper at yet another tantrum.  By the way, don't forget where you were.  Hug a young mother today!  Don't wax poetic about how you miss the days when your kids were young.  Don't share every lesson you learned as you went through it -- you learned it over many years, not one conversation.  Don't look patronizingly at her and feel smug that you're past that phase.  Remember and hug her.  Extend grace to her.  Offer to babysit.  Make her some tea and ask her about what she loves -- including and besides her kids.

I have so many hopes for you!  Did I turn out at all like my Mom?  My Grandmas?  The many other champion women I know?  I'm trusting that you're wise enough now to know you don't have it all figured out and you're okay with that.  Continue to grow.  You're not done.  If you were, you'd be dead.  And if you're dead, all the better for you!  You've seen Jesus' face.  You've sang at the throne.  You've probably seen those you miss and maybe you care and maybe you don't.

If you're sick or hurting, remember that right now God is teaching me about how small this world and its problems are compared to Him.  Hang on.  Continue to love.  I don't know what might be hard for you right now, but remember that you've come through some pretty hard things already.  Are we still stuck on grace?  I hope so.

Love, Present Me