Made for This

 Want to see something really cute? Google mama animal with baby. I'm planning a surprise trip for my kids to a local animal park and the memory of the last time we were there got me thinking for this blog post. We got to see a mama cheetah with her babies. They were right by the fence and soooo cute! It was fun to see the mama just laying there, relaxing in the shade, with her babies piled up all around her. There must have been five or six of them.

I always think it's fascinating to watch mama animals with their babies, and to think about the differences that we human mamas have when it comes to caring for our children. Do they second guess themselves? Do they have everyone telling them they need to do things a different way? Do they look at other mamas and think, "She's doing so much better than me, I wish I was like her." 

No, I'm sure they don't. They don't have the capacity to overthink things. They just do them. They just do what their natural instincts tell them to do.

Why don't we trust ourselves to parent our own children the way we naturally feel inclined to? Why do we second (and third, and fourth) guess ourselves? Why do we feel so incompetent when God obviously made us mothers.

Do you ever wonder about Eve and how she parented? Imagine living in a world where you are the only human mother. You have no one to compare yourself to. Sounds kind of lonely, but also kind of nice, too. The only example she had was the animals that were around her. 

Eve isn't a good example, you may say, since her child ended up killer her other child. But I disagree. Cain was obviously old enough to make and be accountable for his own decisions, or else God would have marked and banished Eve as well as Cain for the sin. I'm thinking Eve was a beautifully flawed and yet beautifully mothering woman, just like the rest of us.

Recently, I had a conversation that made me flair up like a mama bear protecting her cub. Ever had an experience like that?

reddit.com

All of a sudden you don't care what the other person thinks or feels, you are wrapped up in protecting your baby at all costs and that is what you are going to do. The person was not threatening my baby, but the thought that a choice they were considering might put my baby at risk put me in full on protection mode.

Mama, you were made to raise your babies. You were uniquely created to be their mother.

Stop second guessing yourself.

Of course you should pray for wisdom. Of course you should seek knowledge and look for good examples of parenting. We were made to learn from each other. But give yourself some credit, for goodness' sakes. Have some confidence in yourself!

Stop thinking you are not good enough. You are the mother that these children need. 

God entrusted you with them, and I fully believe that He does not make mistakes.

So be the mama you were created to be.

Lots of love!

Lee