The Mommy Calling: A Letter to my Daughter

Thursday, April 12, 2012

A Letter to my Daughter

My Sweet Girl,

I have always said I wanted a strong-willed daughter. That way I knew I wouldn't have to worry about anyone convincing her to do something she didn't want to do. I suppose it was God preparing my heart for you. I absolutely love you, my firecracker. I know that sometimes it does make it harder, but I wouldn't trade your spirit for anything in the world. I love the fact that your daddy can handle you perfectly, although with all the practice he has handling me there's really no surprise. The fire that God placed in you will be used for great things, I just know it. Don't ever allow anyone to tell you that it's not good, that you should try to change, that you should conform to who other people want you to be. Sometimes in the moment, I may wish you were more "obedient" or "cooperative", but I know that I am to raise you up as an independent woman who is strong in her values and you are already farther on that journey than most even though you are only two years old.

Your thirst for knowledge reminds me so much of myself. I love that you want me to read to you for hours, and know that no matter how old you get, I will still want to read with you. I'm so blessed that you share my passion for books and for learning, and I can't wait to see where it will take you. Never stop learning. No matter how much you think you know, you will never reach the point where you know it all, so never stop searching for answers, for the truth. Wisdom is the greatest thing you can ever gain, but don't mistake knowledge and wisdom as the same thing. Make sure you are dedicating your life to the right one.

You are the smartest two year old I know. Don't let anyone lead you to believe that there is nothing behind that beautiful blonde hair and those big blue eyes. Being beautiful does not mean that a woman cannot be intelligent as well. Remember to always keep a balance between the two of them. Don't ever underestimate the power of your beauty and never use that for your advantage. God can use you for amazing things, but not if you let your pride stand in your own way. God gave you your beauty for a reason, don't ever believe that it makes you any better or any worse than anyone else.

There are days when I look at you and I swear I can see the woman you will become. I pray for the man you will one day meet. I pray that you two will both seek out only each other, and that you will each be able to present yourselves perfectly to the other. I pray that God is preparing him for you, that God is preparing his family for you, and that God is preparing us for him. My greatest prayer is that your father and I can model to you what a godly relationship looks like, that your father can provide you an image of a man that you will long to seek after, but one that will be hard to find.

Never stop singing and never stop dancing. Continue to live your life like it is a musical. Always keep a song in your heart and a swing in your steps, and if life gets a little tough don't be afraid to just let it all out. Never stop asking me to sing with you, never stop asking your father to dance with you. No matter how old you get, I hope that there is no one you would rather sing and dance with more than us.

I want to be your best friend, even if sometimes I have to be the bad guy. I promise that I will always look out for you and what is best for you. I am not trying to just make you do what I want you to do or become who I want you to be. I pray that God gives me the wisdom to lead you as He calls me to, that He will give me the ability to raise you up the way He wants, not the way I want. I will always support your dreams, never be afraid to share them with me. No matter how silly you may think they are or how unattainable they may seem, I will do everything I can to help you achieve them.

Please listen to my advice and know that I don't give it lightly. Believe it or not, I have been where you are and there is nothing that you are going to go through that has not effected me in one way or another. I know the hurt of failed love, the sting of betrayal, the pain of loneliness. I know failure, I've had crushed dreams, I've felt the disappointment. I have been tempted, I have given in and I have remained strong. No matter where you are, I have been there too. I want to share with you my advice not to prove I am smarter than you, but because if there is one thing I want to do more than anything it is spare you pain. And if I can spare you even the tiniest bit of pain because of my own experiences then it makes all of them worth it.

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Proverbs 31:10-12, 25-31

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. Strength and honor are her clothing;she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Titus 2:1-8

Speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. That the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things -- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise, exort young men to be sober-minded in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.

What did you do today?

Today I was an explorer. I went on adventures to see the wonderful secrets of God's creation. I watched as the birds flew across the sky, listened as the wind blew through the trees, and felt the warmth of the sun upon my face. Today I was a chef preparing gourmet four-course meals the likes of which the finest restaurants have never seen. Today I was a teacher conducting experiments, revealing hidden truths, and watching the amazement of these lessons being learned for the first time. Today I was a student, a doctor, a friend, a performer. Today I was a MOM. And tomorrow I get to do it all over again!

My Hope For You

My hope for you, my fellow mommies, is that you will go throughout your day encouraged by successes, challenged by failures, and thankful for your experiences. That you will learn to thank God in the bad as well as the good, that you will use the powers of the Holy Spirit to become the best you can be, and that you will live your life according to the purpose you were given when you were created in the image of God Himself. May you find encouragement here so you can face the hardships of being a mom, a wife, and an imperfect person trying to live purposefully in an imperfect world, with grace.