My Greatest Accomplishment

I read a quote last night by Andy Stanley that really struck a chord in my heart. It said "You're greatest accomplishment may not be what you are doing but who you are raising." As I sat back and let that settle in, a huge wave of peace fell over me...except then it didn't. I began thinking "I'm RUINING my kids! I'm a TERRIBLE mother! I don't read the Bible enough to them! We miss church sometimes! I let them get away with too much! I spank them too much! I say 'no' too often! I let them eat cereal for dinner sometimes! I clean instead of play barbies!"...and the list goes on and on and on and on.


The Lord, though, in His faithfulness, then began to remind me of Bible Study last week. (I love how He does that!) The two most important lessons in the Bible are this: Love GOD. Love EACH OTHER. If we do these things, then obedience in other areas is easy because it's the overflow of the love we have for God and for others.


I clean houses on the side for extra money, and at first I would find myself thinking, "how did I end up cleaning for other people? We had people clean for US when I was growing up!" My Heavenly Father quickly took hold of my heart and said to me, "My child, LOVE THEM." As I clean now, I pray for each member of the household. I pray Scripture over their homes, and I clean until my hands and knees hurt. I want to LOVE THEM by BLESSING THEM.


I tell this story because this is what I thought of when I read the quote by Andy Stanley. I am cleaning houses on the side, but I pray that my babies see that I am willing to do what it takes...even sacrifice a little pride...because I LOVE THEM. I may do a whole lot of things wrong...in fact, I think I do more wrong than right on most days...but my children know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I love God, and that I love them. They know this because even though I'm not good at helping them know all the Bible stories and memorize Scripture, they know that they are loved when I hold them when they cry, when I kiss a boo boo, when I tickle their feet or have a dance party in the living room, when I let them sled for hours and track grass in that I just cleaned up 5 minutes before, when I read them bedtime stories, when I sing to them at night to help them sleep...or when I just say "Baby, no matter what, I LOVE YOU".


I will not be considered a success because I clean houses. I will not be considered a success because I mentor student athletes at Auburn University. I will not be considered a success because I have taught Bible studies or led worship. My greatest accomplishment, and right now my MOST IMPORTANT accomplishment as a single mother, is to raise up children that LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE. May He give me strength and grace, each moment, to do just that.


"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4


"'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  Matthew 22:36-39