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The other day, I was putting the kids to bed and I said, "Boys, I'm sorry I was frustrated and yelled so much today, do you forgive me?" and Braydon, without missing a beat said, "That's ok Mom, we didn't listen to you." I was glad he saw a bigger picture (and more that just a mean mom), but more importantly I was appreciative of how easily he forgives. I can't promise my kids, or my family, friends, or husband for that matter, that I will be perfect. It's actually quite the opposite. I can promise I will screw up and need forgiveness. The nice thing is that they come with that same mentality. We are a bunch of imperfect people, trying to love each other as best as we know how, but our failures will also be there. As a result, sometimes we will hurt the ones we love most. Knowing this, and knowing we can choose forgiveness and love, will only make our relationships deeper. This is what leads to the richness and fullness of a wedding celebration, because when you take a person into your family, by marriage, adoption, or another method, you take the whole person, flaws and all. I read an Ann Voskamp article a month ago that I really liked, my favorite line was,
"You’ve never lost if you’ve learned. You’ve never failed if you’ve let your feet find the floor again come morning. And if I’ve loved redemption and grace and mercy for me, how can I love anything less for you? Love is patient and patience is a willingness to suffer — and simply, I choose to always love and suffer with you.”
This is one of the most important things I have read in a long time. Its one of the most important things I can promise my kids. I want the mountaintop experiences with my family. I want weddings, birthdays and fun days at the beach... but to get there I will also accept the valley's, the ditches, and the storms. I'm a forgiven child of God, and so are they.