Mother Knows Best

Train up a child in the way he could go, and when he is old he will not turn from it  NIV

                                                                                                                                 Proverbs 22:6

Over 26 years ago, I became a mother. I had been a school teacher for 4 years, trained and practiced and I thought I was ready to go into the classroom.  I had a degree. I had studied. I had learned teaching strategies and passed by internship. I felt prepared. Well, as prepared as I could be. Now… I sit in this hospital bed holding this bundle of baby and my mind starts racing. Oh my, tomorrow, the doctor is going to release me to go home and, this child is going to be dependent on me for her every need. The first phrase that popped into my mind was, “mother  knows best”.  Holy cow!! I am now the mother and I don’t feel like I know best about anything to do with babies. What am I going to do? Anxiety began to sweep over me. Questions flooded my mind. I was telling myself that I needed an instruction manual. When you take any new gadget home, it comes with instructions. I needed instructions!! I want to read step by step what to do to solve problems and know that if I followed step one, two and three the outcome with be X or Y.  Nope… that is not going to happen with this new adventure. Neither the nurse nor the doctor had even mentioned such a thing. So… what am I going to do?

Suddenly ,  a calm came over me, the baby smiled that little gas type smile while she slept in my arms, and I heard, just as clear as if someone was speaking to me. “You have an instruction manual. You have had it all along. Don’t worry. I know what you need, and it will be OK. You have my word”.  Have faith! Instantly, I knew that I would be OK. I had the Bible. Within the covers of my Bible, I found the answers that I was in search of.   I read, studied and prayed.  No, I cannot say that “mother always knew best”.. but I can say that I felt that I had a support network already set up for me with me and my husbands’ family, our friends, church family and community. Encouragement, love and help, gave me the needed  confidence to move forward and provide for her. I was beginning to truly  understand unconditional love.