Seasons

We all go through seasons in life...no, I am not talking about weather based seasons. Since January the 'season' that I have been in has been one of refinement and growth. When I became a Christian I thought that from that day on I would have things figured out. I never thought my life would be perfect or easy but I thought my walk with God would be a smooth one, one that progressed in a gradual up-hill rather than up and down. Well, that's not the road I've been on. I don't think it's a road most people take. When reflecting on my relationship with Christ I always think that if I treated a spouse, friend, family member, etc. the way I treat my relationship with Jesus, our relationship would probably be irreparably broken. But this is the beauty of the gospel. God loves me. That period is important. There are no conditional statements that follow. He loves me. He loves you! Even in my darkest places, even when I put everything else first, even when my faith is just a checklist of things I think I should do, He loves me. Right where I am.
With Mother's Day fast approaching I have been thinking about parental love. Harper has started asking us (usually when she has gotten in trouble) "You still love me?". It breaks my heart to hear her ask, as if her having an accident before she gets to the potty would ever change my love for her. We've started telling her "yes, of course we love you. No. Matter. What.". And in thinking on this I realize that being a parent gives me a tiny glimpse of how God loves us. I am not perfect. I fall short of the glory of God daily constantly, but my success or failure is not what God uses to measure His love for me.  He loves us. NO MATTER WHAT.

As you celebrate Mother's Day this weekend keep this in mind. I will strive to live life in such a way that God's grace and love overflow onto others. I will not let God's unconditional, unfathomable love be an excuse to do things that I know are not His will or do not advance His kingdom. But I will live in the mindset that my shortcomings are just an amazing reminder that, even with my flaws, I am loved.