There Will Be Failures

This morning I while working on the material for Friday I received a sweet text from a dear friend. She was at the spring brunch at the church she and my daughter, Kelsey, attend. Her text read, “Kelsey is doing a great job speaking!”

My heart sank. What? Was Kelsey speaking at the brunch and I didn’t know? Did I forget? Did I not hear her tell me?

I immediately texted my friend expressing my mom guilt (it’s so easy to go there, isn’t it?). She explained to me that Kelsey was not the speaker, but the emcee. Ah, this I knew. Kelsey is often the emcee for this group.

Mom fail averted.

What is my point in this blog? Two ends of the spectrum.

First, mom fails. No, I didn’t fail this time, but I do fail and sometimes in a big way. Sometimes I think, “I can’t believe I just said that.” I often quote Christine Lagarde’s parenting perspective. Ms. Lagarde is a French lawyer who is the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. Big job. She is also the mother of two grown sons. Once in an interview she was asked about “having it all”–being a woman with a career and being a wife and mom. She said, “You cannot have it all at the same time. I think you can in a way have it all as long as you can afford to be patient and not have it all at the same time. You have to accept there will be failures.”*

“There will be failures.” For every mom in every stage of life there will be failures. We do the best we can but sometimes we miss something. We must forgive ourselves and our children must learn to forgive us as well.

My second point is how absolutely delighted I felt thinking about how Kelsey has grown in this leadership position this year. She has flourished. She has a wonderful leader/mentor who has guided her, but also has stepped back and given Kelsey room to own the job. I am so thankful for her leader.

There is nothing like seeing our kids thrive in doing what they love and being the person God made them to be.** My job as her mom is to be on the sidelines cheering her on and letting her know I believe in her.

Near miss on mom fail.

Spot on with mom delight.

Good day for this mom.

 

* Interview aired on the Today Show, September 25, 2012.

**I am equally proud of our other two daughters and three son-in-laws!

Brenda Garrison is an author and speaker who empowers women with the confidence to live their calling. Brenda is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ministry Leadership with a Concentration in Women’s Ministry at Moody Bible Institute. She and her husband, Gene, are the parents of three young adult daughters and live near Metamora, IL.

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