Life on Planet Mom by Lisa T. Bergren

Author:Lisa T. Bergren
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2009-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

For me, faith, family, and balanced living are my top three priorities in life. I’m a mom who limits her children’s activities because God and family always come first. Over the years this commitment has separated me from some early “club friends” but drawn me closer to a precious few who see things the way I do (or will challenge me if I’m off base), support my values, care about every member of my family, and encourage me to be all my God has created me to be. Because faith is my number one priority, I’ve found women in places like church, Bible study, and Christian work who became good friends. A couple of them do not have children. One has older children. Others have younger children. So in the end, being a mommy in the same stage of life was something that brought me together with many, but it was shared priorities that narrowed the group down to those who mean the most to me.

Grace and Devotion

Along with shared priorities, there are important qualities that have helped me build for-life friendships. My heart-friends offer grace to cover my failures—and I do the same for them. We share a devotion and a genuine care and empathy for each other.

To be sure, I’ve failed my friends time and time again. Over the years I’m sure each could point to times I’ve been judgmental, shrill, irritable, unkind, lackadaisical, uncaring, delusional, bossy, unfeeling, nosy, headstrong, and rude. Fortunately two things have saved our friendships: I’m not all bad all the time, and grace abounds.

Now grace might be a word you’re not familiar with. I’m not speaking of the grace we say before a meal. In Christian culture we use the word most often when referring to how Jesus’s sacrifice covers all the sins we have committed and will commit in the future. In short, his perfection fills in the gaping holes our sinful imperfections create. God’s grace is unearned but still freely given.

In an echo of that gift, good friends offer grace to their friends. Grace in friendship is like my kids’ Silly Putty, able to fit in tiny crevices or, if needed, a harrowing, deep crevasse. True friends understand that we will fail them, but all humans fail. The goal is to pick ourselves up and strive to do better next time.

Dee Brestin writes:

Circle your three top priorities:

Emotional health • Mental growth • Social connection • Health/ exercise • Faith • Balance • Politics • Finances • Education • Environment • Marriage • Family life • Friendship • Other:______________ • Other: ______________

Where would be good places to meet other women with similar priorities?

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