I Love You Mommy

Last week, as I was cleaning our room, Riel called me and said, "Mommy, close your eyes, I have a surprise for you …".  He led me to the computer and showed me what he typed.  The message read:     

            From Riel
            I love dad
            I love mom
            I love Aethan
            I love Jesus
            Jesus loves Riel, Daddy, Mommy, Aethan

        Riel was beaming with pride as he showed his message to me.  A few weeks ago, Riel also wrote me a note which says ‘ I love you mommy’.  I hugged him and I praised God for giving me such wonderful
and thoughtful kids.

        Yesterday morning, Riel and Aethan woke me up singing "Iingatan ka".  It was Riel’s graduation song and it talks about the love of a child to her mom. We explained the meaning of the song to our ‘babies’
(we still call them as our babies .. ) and from then on they have been singing the song to us.  Before they sang the song (to wake me up), Alvin heard them talking.  Riel said, "Aethan, mommy will be sad when we grow up because we may leave her, but when we grow up we wont leave her, okay?  We will wait for mommy and daddy, we will bring them to this place and that place …".

        Yesterday afternoon, as I was teaching Aethan to write.  There are times when I would lose my patience when he loses his focus.  Then he looked at me tenderly and said, "Mommy, Are you proud of me?". I felt as if someone poured cold water on my head.  I hugged him and told him that I am very proud of him, that not all kids can do what he does,  that I love him and forever will love him." He smiled and hugged me back.

        Sometimes, my zeal to teach and discipline my kids is out of place. I sometimes forget that  Aethan is only 3 and Riel is only 4. When I have my ‘temper outburst", I am reminded by what the Bible says, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.(Eph 6:4)". By being overzealous, I may not be sowing love but instead anger.  And I don’t want that to happen. I pray that the Lord will give me more and more P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E, more and more love.

        Loving our kids is simple but we sometimes make it complicated. Our kids feel loved not with the toys or money we give them but with the little things we do for them and with them.  I want to be a mom who will impact the lives of my kids as they grow.  I want them to see Jesus in the way I live.  I want them to feel God’s love in the love Alvin and I have for each other and for them.  But I cannot do it on my
own.  That is why I pray, "My Lord, change me everyday that I may be the wife and the mom that you would want me to be. Amen".