My Name is Andrea Ridder and I am a Mom
My Name is Andrea Ridder and I am a mom.
I have a fabulous husband of almost 8 years, who truly is the best person I have ever known. He's the kind of person who makes me a lot more fabulous than I was, and I have to say, I do the same for him.
We have 2 awesome kids, a girl, 5 and a boy, 3. They are high energy and much smarter than me so my relationship with them is super sweet, fiery and really expanding who I am. I think I always wanted children, but to say I am a natural mother would be a far stretch. I am a very nurturing person, but control and patience are two traits that God intended for me to work on as a mother.
I'm the youngest of two brothers and sharing was not something I necessarily had to do. So now, whenever I take a bite of anything, I have the opportunity to learn to share. This usually results in some sort of feeling of constriction and the first thought is “no”, but I do it anyway.
Born through a Christian mother and a Jewish father, I was raised in the Christian Church. My journey to God and my true self has been via my amazing mother’s guidance. We celebrated some Jewish holidays and I felt connected to that culture- ignorant though interested in the faith. As we grew up, we attended various churches that were still based in Christianity but by world view, ‘alternative’. My experience was that God was neither male nor female, but a force beyond measure of understanding. God is everywhere, all of the time, in all people- even the ones that act a fool and seem like there is no possible way the light can still exist in them.
I have always respected Jesus but certainly didn't have a relationship with him.
A few years ago, we were living in the mountains. I had plenty of opportunity to reflect on my life and deal with some deep inner stuff that resulted from becoming a wife at the age of 31 and a mother of two within 3 years. I remember sitting on the chaise in my room and meditating/praying. As I was in this quiet space, I began to weep because the power and grace of Christ entered my heart and changed me forever. Christ is more than I can explain because it is a feeling so expansive that it makes me cry- soothing my soul and healing my heart. There is nothing like it.
I have always known that God made me a healer. It has taken on many forms throughout my life through friendships, work, yoga and random acts of being in the right place at God’s time. Experiencing a lot of typical angst, I used to think that I had to have a specific career to express this gift. I was too busy trying to figure it out. When I gave it up, it is amazing what was delivered back.
Now I know that I can shine that light at the stoplight, in the grocery, through our juice company and certainly in each moment with my family by remembering that nothing is that deep to act like a lunatic (I have been known), withhold love or clutch anger with all of my egos might.
God is the center and circumference of me. Remembering God as much as possible is the only reason I am halfway sane, able to apologize for flying off the handle and deciding to be truly joyful. I want God to use me to shine Its light on this planet so that I can be the change I am seeking. Amen.
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