Grace

When other people get married, I'm not thinking about my part in their lives.
But my daughters are getting married, and mostly I think about my role in their life.

Have I prepared them well enough?
Have I modelled sacrifice and self gift effectively?
Have I encouraged...have I challenged...
Provided enough faith, enough knowledge, enough humility to become wives and mothers who will help their families get to heaven?

All you mothers know...motherhood is one giant guilt trip.

It doesn't go away when they grow up!
Every day I ask myself...Was I enough?
Every day I have to consciously place them in God's hands, and ask Him to fill in all my shortcomings with His grace.
I am not enough.

They will not be enough for their own husbands and families, and their husbands are not ever going to be enough for my daughters.
We are not supposed to be enough.  As individuals and as couples we are supposed return to God daily to request and renew the graces He provides to be enough.

But there is enough grace - more than enough - to get married, be married, raise a family and get to heaven.

The Catholic Encyclopedia defines grace as, "a supernatural help of God for salutary (beneficial, nurturing) acts granted in consideration of the merits of Christ."

Note to self:  "in consideration of the merits of Christ."

Not in consideration of the merits of ME.
Anything I have done well is a gift from Him, through grace.  Anything I have left undone can be be completed or fixed by Him, through grace.