Intentional Mothering. . .

I have previously made mention that I have a love affair with the Proverbs 31 woman.  I don't find her intimidating or overwhelming, but an amazing woman of God that I desire to model my life after.  I really got to dig into her life during my Tuesday morning Bible Study at church (we went through the study, A Woman after God's Own Heart, by Elizabeth George).  This week, I started a unique online study on the Proverbs 31 woman and I am so excited!  (If you are interested, you can find details, here . . . I highly recommend it!).

This week, we have been studying the intro over the book and it's an area, I must confess I tend to skip over in my rush to learn about her. But, this week, I have followed directions and sat and studied the mother of King Lemuel.  She was a wise woman.  She took time for her son to give him sound advice on not only a future wife, but also on how to be a good king.  She was intentional with her son.  She didn't consider Lemuel to be a nuisance, or a hindrance to her life.  She didn't tell him she'd get back to him after she finished cleaning house or making dinner, or even sewing a new dress.  She took the time for him then and there.

As a mother of two very active boys (3 and 1), I am challenged to find the intentional moment in almost all situations.  I love that my oldest is a cuddler.  He could just sit in my lap and cuddle while watching Curious George re-runs.  His love languages are touch and time . . . And sometimes, I confess that when things get really busy it is hard to be intentional about this.  However, he has this amazing desire to want to learn (I think he gets it from his dad), but I have taken it and turned it in to something that he looks forward to every single day.  For the past year we have spent a week, sometimes two, on each letter of the alphabet, doing crafts and various other activities that he would do in preschool.  It started out as a bi weekly thing, but has turned into a daily adventure.  I love it, because I get to use my teacher skills and he loves just spending time with me.  This really helped when Weston was smaller because It was intentional just him and I time.

For my youngest, being intentional is hanging out and letting him crawl all over me. . . we are just at that stage.  Sometimes, it is giving up my evening plans to just hold him and let him cry himself to sleep in my arms.  Other times, it is just sitting with him and being goofy.

There are some days, where cleaning just doesn't happen.  But hanging out with these two does, and at the end of the day, I would say that my job was done well.  I love this sign:

I really want my boys to look back at the childhood and remember that their mom took the time to play with them and teach them about life.  I want them to think that I gave wise, sound advice.  I want them to strive to be better and not do what everyone else is doing.  

I look forward to my boys growing up (not so soon, I hope) and watching how their needs and wants will change as the grow and mature into Godly men.  I pray that God would use me daily in their lives.

I'm linking up here this summer. . . check it out!