“Mom!  Wanna see the seeds I got in Sunday School?”  My five-year-old tapped on my shoulder from the backseat of our Camry and thrust her little paper cup toward me.  A few seeds sat at the bottom—patiently waiting for some soil, and a label haphazardly stuck to the outside of the cup read, “My faith in Jesus Christ can grow.” 

            “Very nice, honey.”  I said, as I attempted to hand her cup back without allowing the seeds to vanish onto our crumb-covered floor mats.  It was then I noticed the crayon drawing of grass, a stem, leaves, and a rose inside the cup.  As I imagined how awkward it must have been for her to manipulate the crayons in such a small area, I asked, “Why did you draw this flower on the inside of the cup?”  She looked at me as though the answer were obvious and replied, “So the seeds can see what they can become.”

            God put children (a.k.a. “little seeds”) into homes and families (a.k.a. “paper cups”), and provided parents (the matured seeds) to show them what they can become.  Each day we have great responsibilities to teach our children and be examples of Christ in what we say and do.  When we give them nourishment, tend to their needs, and provide them access to the Son, they grow physically and spiritually.

            We never ended up planting the seeds in the cup my daughter brought home because I could not bear to cover her artwork with dirt.  Instead, I keep the empty cup on my desk to prompt the question, “What do my little seeds think they can become today?”  I wonder what they are learning from the example I am setting.

            One evening as my kindergartner “helped” me reorganize my bookshelves, I realized one lesson I had neglected to teach.  As we sifted through piles of college textbooks, novels, how-to books, and religious texts, my daughter asked, “Why do you have so many books?” 

            “Because I like to read.”  I answered.  “Didn’t you know I like to read?”

            “No.” she said seriously.  “I just thought you liked running around.” 

Ouch.  Here I thought I had demonstrated to my daughter just how important literacy and education are, and I thought she knew that mothers can nurture their minds as much as they nurture their children.  What she had seen me do, however, differed greatly from what I thought I was doing.  Since that time, I have tried to keep books with me and read while she is awake—occasionally telling her what I am reading, and encouraging her to pick up a book and read by my side. 

            On the days I feel like I have failed (and there are plenty), I remember that the Lord put me here and gave me the title of Mother.  His plan is for us to succeed through our faith in Him, and the more I believe in Him, the more I believe I can be like Him.   

            The hassles of life come rapid-fire each day: your child loses her shoes, insists on skipping a much-needed nap, and/or dumps half a container of fish food into the newly-cleaned aquarium.  Sometimes it is hard to remember what we are actually trying to accomplish.  At these times, we can remember that we, as mothers, are sometimes role models to our children by showing them how to handle imperfections—not by being perfect.

            I hope to teach them how to rely heavily and constantly on the Lord and to learn of Him by studying His life.  Jesus Christ came to earth to show us how to live, and the best thing we can do for our children is point them to God and say, “See what you can become!”