Momma's G.R.I.T.S. of Gratitude, Resilience, Integrity, Tenderness, Selflessness

 

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” – Phil 4:8

In the south, a breakfast table often includes grits - a hot mixture of boiled, ground corn topped with salt and butter. When prepared correctly, they are deliciously nutritious. My momma can make a mean pot of grits.

Good mothers not only tend to the physical needs of their children, but also feed their emotional and spiritual needs.

My mother used another type of grits for that, the kind the dictionary defines as a firmness of mind or spirit and unyielding courage. These grits fueled my faith, nourished my soul, and matured my spirit.

The ingredients in my “Momma’s G.R.I.T.S.” include

·                - genuine gratitude (regardless of her circumstances),

·                - resilience to push through, persevere, and overcome significant struggles (with joy),

·              -   inspiring faith to lean on the Lord and encourage others to do likewise,

·               -  an ability to be both tough and tender, and

·               -  selfless humility, always giving more than she takes and continuously standing down             while building others up.

 

These are the kind of grits I hope to feed my daughter. But these grits do not come easy. Like the grits that we eat, they must be ground and boiled (refined through a fire).

My mother’s life provided for such a process.

She grew up poor with a father who battled alcoholism.

She married my dad while still just a kid herself and together, they raised two strong willed daughters who each distinctly gave them a run for their money.

But despite our struggles, she loved us unconditionally with grace and patience. Instead of looking back and constantly reminding us of our failures and her disappointments, she celebrates our achievements and fondly remembers our teenage years as wonderful.

Over the last three decades, my mother’s physical health has been under attack. Numerous surgeries (including triple bypass open heart and abdominal to remove ovarian cancer), life-threatening infections, fluids in her lungs, blockages in her bowels, hair loss (3 times), ongoing nausea, debilitating diarrhea, shortness of breath, dizziness, memory problems, COVID, fatigue, and severe headaches are only a selection of the suffering that has tested and refined her faith. 

Yet through it all, she always sees the glass as half full.  She chooses joy.

Like all of us, my mother is human. She has weaknesses, makes mistakes, and falls short of the glory of God.

Yet despite all the peaks and valleys in her life, she intentionally fixes her hair, makeup, outfits, - and thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

Each of us has that same choice to view ourselves and others through His perspective.

The Apostle Paul talks about putting on the armor of God in Ephesians 6 and notes a shield of faith. I had always thought that this shield protected my heart.  I recently realized that the breastplate of righteousness does that. Instead, the shield, the Lord recently revealed, is to protect my face and is more like a bullet-proof windshield with an eternal lens.

An eternal lens changes our perspective and aligns our will with The Lord. It is the key to peace and the abundant life for which Jesus came to give us.

As a southern girl, I highly recommend a plate of grits at breakfast.

But as a daughter of the King, I encourage you to ask Him for a portion of the “grits” that He has given my momma. Because this change of perspective will change your life.