Hope all you mothers out there had an incredible Mother’s Day last weekend, and you were celebrated for the true wonder you are!💜 I’m just now getting around to finishing this post I started late Saturday night. But anyways, always remember, you are important and special to your families! ⭐️

On this particular Mother’s Day holiday, I found myself looking back on the younger version of me. The one of a sleep deprived mother. I can’t comprehend how I made it through every hill and valley over the years. In all honesty, motherhood was and still is hard.

With two very active children, I was always worn ragged to the bone it seemed. There were days I was running on empty, just barely getting a bite of something to eat in between making sure the kiddos were fed, diapered and clothing washed.

All to turn right back around and do it all over again multiple times a day for days on end.

As they grew, there were endless piles of toys to be picked up and always, always knots to be brushed out of long hair. Baths to be ran and lots of outgrown clothes.

In the elementary school years, homework forever needed checking. Items were consistently lost. And I questioned my sanity in the whirlwind of it all.

“Have girls,” they said. “You can dress them up really cute,” they said. And they were right. But no way did anyone prepare me for the untold amounts of money it would cost or the excessive periods of time spent on fixing hairdos!

If there was anything raising girls taught me, it was that drama ensued and lurked around every corner. At the end of a school day, I couldn’t count the times or the tears streaming down the girls’ cheeks as they shared the harsh words the other girls had spoken about them that day.

But much more than all the stress surrounding raising girls, no one ever told me that one day it would be the last day to draw their baths or brush their silky tresses or hold them while they cried.

You don’t even notice when those moments end. Life has a way of sneaking up on you like that. You are too busy just trying to survive another day.

Until one day you wake up and discover those “last times” are long behind you.

Gone forever.

And you wonder how you ever got to this place called here.

Out of all those moments that slipped through my fingers like sand, I never lost sight of time spent praying for my girls.

You will probably think this is a little weird or comical. (maybe even both) But I will tell it anyway. 😬🥸

When my girls were growing up, as I was tucking them in for the night, I would always tell them, “Say your prayers, Rabbit.”

Now all of you Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd fans out there will definitely know what I mean by this one. In case you don’t, Elmer Fudd was always running around chasing and “hunting” Bugs Bunny in his hunting clothes, boots, cap and shotgun. No worries though, that sly old rabbit always managed to get away!

Silly I know, but serious business all the same. I wanted them to know that prayer time could be fun, without being too stiff and formal. Always they would giggle, before we said a prayer together.

Even after they became teenagers, I still hugged and kissed them goodnight, always reminding them, “Say your prayers, Rabbit.” I’m sure they were rolling their eyes by the time I left their room.

I’ve been praying extra since last week for my girls, as Mothers Day was coming up. They are both mothers now, and the role I play in their lives is somewhat different.

I am no longer the center of their world. Their children are. And that’s the way it should be. So, because I remember the feeling of wondering if I was ever going to make it through this thing called motherhood, I pray for them.

I pray for my grandchildren. And I pray for my girls’ sanity, like I did mine back then. I send up prayers they will make it through all the tough moments of childhood.

And today, I say a prayer for all you mothers out there who don’t think you are going to make it another day either.

For the ones who feel you are not good enough. Brave enough. Or strong enough. And feel you are flunking the test miserably.

For the ones who lost their cool today and yelled–AGAIN.

For those who clean up endless pools of spilled milk and change mounds of dirty diapers.

For those who are too tired to cook and serve frozen dinners.

For those who are dealing with rebellious teenagers– and feeling unthanked, overwhelmed and depressed.

For those of you who are juggling full time jobs and full time motherhood at the same time.

For the single mom and the widowed dad who is having to be both dad and mom.

For the moms with health problems who are trying desperately to be strong enough and well enough for their kids.

For the moms who are worn from taking care of children with special needs. And for those whose children are in and out of hospital units.

For the moms of children with mental illnesses, for those whose grown children are in prison.

For the empty nester moms and grandmas out there taking care of their grandchildren.

I pray for you. I pray you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.

I pray you are never too big for your pants, to ask for forgiveness when you mess up. I pray you can say you’re sorry when you are sorry and tell them you’ll do better next time.

You will fail many times.

They will fail many times.

But I pray you make sure to tell them you love them, no matter what. And that it’s ok to mess up.

And while you’re at it, say your prayers Rabbit. 🙏🏼🐰🐇

“Prayer delights God’s ear; it melts His heart; and opens His hand. God cannot deny a praying soul.” — Thomas Watson