When Pedestal Parents Plummet

Cheery music danced from the record player to match my mother’s motion.  She hummed and sang throughout the day after Thanksgiving.  Back before anyone heard of Black Friday, that morning meant to us all the pilgrims went away and the wreaths and trees and reds and greens came out in great number.

The house still smelled of tradition and spice from the day before and was filled from floor to roof with boxes of ornaments and pine.  We girls lived for decoration day.

We were in the front room with the spine of the tree naked awaiting arms when the phone rang.  All stopped to stare at it.  “Mom – don’t answer it!”  I begged.  It rang, again.  She and my new stepdad exchanged looks.  “Mom…” my 10-year-old voice whined.

She picked it up and had a brief conversation with her manager, then quietly started putting on her shoes, leaving us.  “I hate Mr. Reed!” I fumed. 

“Marilyn, we don’t ‘hate’ anybody,” she said.

“Well, I hate Mr. Reed!” I spat back at her, focusing all disappointment and frustration.  She took it as a direct hit.  I ran out of the room to avoid showing my shame; I saw in my mother’s face the pain of wounding her.  But I couldn’t believe she would choose work over putting up the Christmas tree, choose money over us – pick her manager over me.

I still struggle to understand why my Mom had to go in right then, why she couldn’t wait an hour until our tree was done.  I am over the childish disappointment, but still think she was wrong.  The good news is I have figured out Moms are human, too, and make mistakes.  Even pedestal parents eventually come down and become life-sized, again.  That’s a good thing because when they are real, they can be forgiven. 

Only God will never let us down.  Truly, Jesus Christ is the only person to have ever walked this earth who can claim perfection.  The rest of us need to be given grace and another try to do it right the next time.  Praise God that He gives us second chances!

~~~~~
Pondering points
 

Ephesians 4:31-32

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 32:3-4
I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.  A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.