A Mother Heart

Mother's Day can be a tough and heartbreaking time for women who long to be mothers but can't.  I've gone through my fair share of those Mother's Days, and at times it has been hard, but as the years have gone by my view of celebrating Mother's Day has changed.  I've come to see Mother's Day as a celebration of womanhood and nurturing, not just about bearing children.

Even though I am not a mother, I can have a mother heart.  I can love and nurture my nieces and nephews.  I can set a good example for my primary kids and teach them about Jesus.  I can comfort one of my friend's kids when her hands are already full taking care of her other little ones.  I love to find these small moments when I can teach, nurture and just be there for the children in my life.  I savor every opportunity I get to be around children.  It brings such a joy to my heart.

Of course I'd love nothing more than to have a child that depends on me and calls me Mommy (oh, how I long for that!).  But in this period of my life when I can't have that, I am grateful for the mothering influence I can be in the lives of the children around me.