Blessed Lessons--Guest: Amanda Coburn

I am the mother of an 11 year-old daughter, an 8-year-old son, and a 5-year-old son. I am not a perfect mom because I am far from being a perfect person, and I’ve lived a very humbling life due to the choices I have made despite all the people who poured “better” into me. But through my short-comings, I have been able to absorb so much that others so willingly give… life lessons.

God has blessed me with lots of great teachers in my life. The longer I thought about whom I should write about, the list of all my influences seemed to grow larger. My mother is the greatest example of human patience I have ever witnessed and my father nourished my ability to ask worthy questions and my grandparents loved me more unconditionally and saw more beauty in me than anyone else is capable of (it is important to learn how to love even when we don’t see the lovability). My excellent extended family has taught me uncountable different lessons for life. I have had some strong, significant, close friends who helped shape me into who I am today.

I have had AMAZING, knowledgeable, caring Sunday-school teachers. Even my husband has taught me a thing or two(-thousand). I’ve participated in Bible studies written by impressive, Godly women alongside women I am proud to call my friends. I have been a student in many different classes and sermons, had the privilege to learn from remarkable teachers and pastors (including the great Rev. Billy Graham, on occasion) for as long as I can remember, whom I try to model my own future after and tuck away the lessons they’ve shared in my heart. I have even had some experiences with people (including myself at times) where the most I could learn is that I don’t want to live my life like they are – which can be a very powerful lesson.

I have learned a lot of very useful lessons from many different sources, but my favorite teachers are the ones whom I just put to bed and sang to sleep, because they have the ability to mirror the things in me I most want to change about myself, as a role model for them, and motivate me to change them… PRONTO!

The innocence of children is overwhelming sometimes. Their pure hearts that allow them to be so trusting, loving and forgiving, is nothing short of desirable, and even Jesus said in Mark, Chapter 10 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Well, each of my children has a many lessons to teach me (granted each one changes and sometimes they overlap with each other, but they help bring me closer to God each day.

Taylor (11), has a stubborn, sarcastic, argumentative side, matched only be me (and possibly her daddy). It aggravates me to no end sometimes, and then, I realize I might as well be looking in the mirror, because I am the reason she knows how to do it all so well. If I want her to be less argumentative, I must lead in being less argumentative myself. Also, Taylor has recently reminded me how she values friendship because she is (developmentally – hence the college lessons learned) at a stage in life where friends are “the whole world”. When a friends’ world falls apart, so does your own. Though they can be quite dramatic, young girls can be quite loyal friends, if only so many of us didn’t grow out of that stage, we would have AND be better friends. I am encouraged through Taylor to be a better friend.

Speaking of loyal, we come to Bryant(8). I like to explain Bryant with the story about how Ed, my husband, was napping on the floor in the living room not an hour after having a conversation where he “denied” that he snores (just as a joke, he doesn’t always snore, he knows he does sometimes, but it is a running “joke”), but loyal Bryant took his side and defended his deposition. Well, needless to say, he was disproving his claim, loudly, in plain sight. Taylor and I looked at Bryant and said, “See Bryant!? Do you still say he doesn’t snore?” and Bryant said, “Nope, he doesn’t snore!” All of my kids are loving and loyal, but that is just Bryant’s strongest attribute. I know there are times when I need to be more “blindly” loyal to my family and especially my Lord, and He couldn’t have shown me that better than through Bryant.

Cody(5). He’s excitingly full of energy and life, but he has a love for small, underappreciated things that moves my heart! He has (and still loves to) sit and make “houses” for ants. Picked the smallest flowers, and he’s even taken the time to PET some bumble bees. He doesn’t have a favorite color because he loves all colors, and though he’s a force to be reckoned with in a tiny package, he is the first to be compassionate when someone is sad. His desire to give to others is encouraging and inspiring, and I am so blessed to have such remarkable young teachers.