“Choices of a Life-Giving Mom”
by Sue Detweiler
Every Life-Giving Mom faces daily choices of how she is going to respond to the struggles of her child. Sometimes these choices are split-second decisions.
When Rachel was going into her freshman year of high school she wanted to go out for her soccer team. I wanted to help her. I was experiencing my own sense of loss of my firstborn flying out of my homeschool nest into her first public school adventure.
I began to…
…train with Rachel. We ran the path together — the same trail that we had nicknamed “the butterfly path” because the butterflies landed on our hats and shoulders. The butterflies represented a new beginning. As we ran together our relationship strengthened.
The evening before soccer try-outs I could tell that Rachel was upset. What was my clue? Well she came to me in tears.
“Mom, we have to run the mile tomorrow. It’s my last chance to make the team,” she said. Reading between the lines, I knew what she was feeling… insecure… alone… afraid to fail…wanting to be accepted.
“What do you want me to do Rachel? Do you want me to come to practice?” I asked.
She nodded “yes” as she wiped her tears. Her red puffed up face reminded me of the cute little toddler that had disappeared in a grown-up teenage body.
The next day I showed up beside the track and smiled at my daughter as she prepared to run. Then, as she came around the track for her final lap, I listened to the coach calling out the time. I knew she wasn’t going to make it.
What should I do? I felt helpless on the sidelines watching as she slowed down even more…What was I going to do? What would you do if it was your daughter?
As I close this post I want you to think about the power of influence that you have as a Life-Giving Mom. Your choices matter. Your choices impact the lives of the next generation. Your choices impact their choices.
I will share what I chose to do next Tuesday, so stay tuned!
Sue Detweiler is a mother of 6, an author, speaker, and radio host with over 25 years of experience in leadership, ministry and education. When 9 Traits of a Life-Giving Mom was launched it hit #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases for Christian Women’s Issues. Sue loves to connect on her blog http://www.suedetweiler.com/ as well as on twitter and facebook.
