Mommy Fail

So you feel like the “World’s Worst Mom” today?    Sorry, I think I still hold the title.

It was “Pet Day” for the whole school.  I arrived early that cool October day, and put the hamsters in the back seat of my car (parked in the shade), in their cage.   When I was done inside, I went to the car, and the kids saw me from the playground.   As I opened the car door, I realized that the sun had moved and was beating into the back seat.... and soooo... I cooked their hamsters.  I nuked the poor fuzzy little guys to death.  I know, I know... "how awful!".  "What kind of terrible mother could let something like that happen?! " "What was she thinking??"  "Didn’t you think to leave a window open?!"   (Insert your other responses here)

 I actually blew near their little mouths.  I pushed their little rodent chests.  I really did.  I thought to myself, if there was a ‘mommy hell’, I was getting a first class ticket there.  This was something they would never forget.   Neither would I.

I must say, they have grown up to be pretty good young adults.  Not one of them has had to be in therapy over the hamster issue, or the million other ‘rotten mommy’ times that I “blew it”. 

So you had a bad day.  So you can’t believe you 'said this' or 'did that'.   Our kids will never learn to apologize and ask forgiveness unless they learn it from us.  God will forgive you too.... I promise.   Even when you've messed up so bad you can't imagine it's forgivable. 1 John 1:9 says when we confess our sin, our mess-ups, and mistakes, He is faithful and just to forgive us. He wipes the slate clean.

So I fried my kids’ hamsters on “Pet Day”.  And sometimes you blow it.  It’s not the first time.  It won’t be the last time.  The apostle Peter messed up pretty bad too, denying his Savior 3 times and Christ looked right at him.  He learned to accept forgiveness, kept getting up and moving forward and God used him in a such great way. 

When you fail, learn from your mistakes, and accept His forgiveness.  Then get back up and start over.   He is the God of second chances.  Just ask Peter or another mom, or me.

Lord, I’m so glad you don’t expect perfection because some days I can’t even accomplish mediocrity.  I’m so thankful for forgiveness that cost you so much.  I’m so grateful that you help me learn from my mistakes and your grace somehow makes everything ok.  My kids need to see how I handle failure so they will know how to when it’s their turn.  Thank you for grace... I’ll be needing a lot of refills.  Amen