Motherhood
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Shore :: Eternity

I shared all the nice moments on Instagram. And I locked up all the not-nice moments in my head. That’s just how we do it, isn’t it? We share about the delicious cannoli and we don’t share about the argument we had trying to find the delectable pastry shop. It’s not a Millennial thing we do. It’s a human nature thing we do.

I had great expectations for our vacation this summer- I brought my health magazines to finally read, I packed some of my favorite outfit items, I brought healthy snacks for the family, I looked forward to quality time with my husband. Ha. I have a two year old and a ten month old. My expectations weren’t necessarily high and lofty. They just had to be flexible and shift with the tide. 

One of my absolute favorite things in the world is the ocean. I love the sound of it, I love being in it, I love being near it, I just love the sea. When I’m driving to the coast, it is vital that I get to the ocean as quickly as possible. So a five hour drive should only take about five hours, right?? I mean, 7 hours tops. Well, not so with two very little ones. Dirty diaper, discomfort in the car seat, slow traffic, toddler boredom, hungry bellies, full bladders, and so on! Our five hour drive turned into ten, and I got more and more discouraged as the minutes turned into longer hours. I felt like I just kept driving without being able to reach my beloved destination.

When I finally did reach the beach and took that first stroll out onto the weighted sand and lacy foam, I breathed a sigh of relief. And it occurred to me that though the trip had been arduous and not as expected- God had been really gracious with the “wasted time”…

I’m a mom of littles so the pleasurable hiatuses come with childproof caveats 😉 You know what I’m saying, right? When you’re a mom, you’re thankful to find a nice Chick-fil-a where your kid plays nicely with the other kids on the playground. And that’s how it was on our way to the beach. Our second long stop was at a Barnes & Noble that we just happened to see at the exit. It doesn’t get much better than that for me- Chick-fil-a nice kids, Barnes & Noble books and coffee.

Truly, it could have been a more challenging road trip than it was – dumpy stops, a serious accident, a screaming baby, a sick toddler. When I stood there looking at the vastness of the ocean with the arduous task of getting there behind me, I was grateful for the grace that carried me through. I noticed how endless the ocean feels and how endless the love of God is, I noticed how refreshing the ocean is for weariness, I noticed how deeply mysterious the ocean is in the same way the Truth is deeply mysterious, I noticed that God’s grace is as consistent as the rolling tide. 

Maybe it wasn’t all I wanted it to be. Maybe it wasn’t the perfect family vacation. But God was with me and I was encouraged by him. So I think it will be as I travel along life’s path and journey toward an eternity of perfect sunrises & sunsets on Christ’s heavenly shore….

-BBM

In the hands of the potter,

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