HONEY, THIS TOO SHALL PASS

I remember from my childhood days
Hearing an oft-repeated phrase
That I rejected with a sigh or a pout.
But since that time many years have passed
And I’ve come to realize at last
That Momma knew what life was all about.
One piece of advice stands apart from the others,
Spoken, I’m sure, by hundreds of mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."

So when discouragements come
And the weather is glum
And your friends are too busy to care,
When your children are cross
Or there’s a pink slip from the boss
There must be a solution, but where?
One piece of advice stands apart from the others
Spoken in love by hundreds of mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."

When the mirror’s unkind,
You fear you’re losing your mind,
You’ve broken, burned and spilled all day.
When you’ve had a fender-bender
Or your appointments you can’t remember,
You think you’ve failed in every conceivable way.
One piece of advice stands apart from the others
Spoken with patience by hundreds of mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."

When your burdens are heavy
And your helpers are few,
When you look after the family
But there’s no time for you,
When troubles multiply by the score
Dog tracks, kids’ crises and more—
One piece of advice stands apart from the others
Passed down through generations of mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."

When your husband packs his stuff and moves out,
Your nights are engulfed by fear and doubt,
Your loneliness seems more than you can bear.
Or when some dread disease befalls,
Into your home the death angel calls
And you feel yourself sink in despair—
One piece of advice stands apart from the others
Whispered in love by compassionate mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."

You’ll find that the answer to your own fervent prayer
Comes far more quickly when God’s comfort you share,
So reach through your pain and take someone’s hand.
Don’t ever forget that God has a plan
To lift—not just your burden—but her burden too.
The hope that she longs for just may come through you.
So, be an encouragement one to another,
Pass on the advice that you learned from your mother,
"Honey, this too shall pass."

Thoughts on Motherhood

Erma Bombeck is quoted as saying that immediately following birth, every new mother drags out of bed and awkwardly pulls herself up on the pedestal provided for her. But motherhood is not a one-size-fits-all mold. Some mothers have so much guilt they can’t eat a breath mint without sharing it. Other mothers feel nothing when they tell their kid his entire pillowcase full of Halloween candy got ants in it…. And then sneaks off and eats it herself. Some mothers cry when their thirty-year-old daughter moves into her own apartment. Other mothers sell their twelve-year-old son’s bed while he’s gone on a week-end camp-out with the boy scouts.

We can’t be perfect parents any more than we can be perfect human beings. Being a good parent seems to get harder all the time. It involves more than keeping our children safe, clean and well-fed. We must invest time and effort to enable them to stand on their own as balanced individuals. And individuals they are! Children are infinitely complex. About the time you learn what works with your firstborn, another one arrives and all the rules of the game are changed! But in spite of how it seems, mothers can gain encouragement by realizing the powerful positive influence we can have in our children’s lives.

Although Nancy Hanks died when her son, Abe, was ten years old, years later after he became president, Abraham Lincoln said, “All I am or ever hope to be I owe to my angel mother.” Thomas Edison, who was educated at home by his mother after she learned that his teachers thought he was intellectually inferior, said, “My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me; and I felt that I had someone to live for, someone I must not disappoint.”

We can give our children more than survival skills. Parents are in a unique position to give their children soaring skills as well. Both “roots” and “wings” are important if children are to develop to their full potential.

A plant’s roots provide security, stability and nourishment. Without a good, strong root system, the plant can’t grow and develop properly. The same is true for a child. A secure loving home provides the fertile ground their tender roots need. A root system built on faith in God provides a sure foundation on which to build a strong, stable life.

While the depth of our children’s lives depends on their roots, the height to which they can soar depends on their wings. The idea of wings suggests creativity, appreciation, laughter and freedom from fear. Wings lift them above the level of the routine. From this high altitude they have a better perspective on life. They can see above their circumstances and become sensitive to the wonders of creation.

Why did God make giraffes with long legs and necks? Why did He put those funny little knobs on the tops of their horns? Why are butterflies such brilliant colors and why do peacocks’ feathers shimmer in the sunlight? Why such diversity and beauty? Because God created us to soar with wings of imagination and appreciation. He “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

God created all of us to have wings—wings to find delight in simple pleasures and wings to enjoy all that is good and beautiful. As we seek to give our children this priceless gift, we will experience the expansion of our own wingspan. --Janet