Motherhood

The highs and lows of being a mom are oh so real. I had no idea when I became a Mom how much giving of myself it would take. There are days when being with girls fuels me, and there are those days when it drains the life out of me. Lately during summer I have felt more like a constant referee than a mom. Being a mom is hard and exhausting, it has its ups and downs, but at the end of the day I would not trade these girls for anything. I have found that reading devotionals or bible studies encourage me truly help open my eyes as a mother and have a more optimistic outlook on my day. It helps me to be more patient with them and to show them a little more grace. Because at the end of the day, they are kids and they are going to make many mistakes.  As a mom we are asked to raise these tiny humans to grow up and be people of God and to love as He loves us. That’s a huge and scary responsibility because you don’t want to make the wrong decision and lead them down the wrong path. Our children learn a lot about the world from us, and how we interact with others and them, guide their foundation of views they have of the world and others. We have to parent them from a place of humility, we have to teach them the art of forgiveness, that everyone makes mistakes, and how to grow and learn from those mistakes. Now I don’t want to act like I am one to always respond appropriately and to say the right things all the time, because there have been many times that I am overwhelmed and my anger controls how I react to my kids. I hate it when I do this because I can see them interact with each other out of anger and I blame myself.  There was a devotional I was doing last year, and if you are a mom, I would highly recommend you reading it because it will change your mindset, it’s called Mom Set Free by JeAnnie Cunnion.

One of the quotes she shared tugged at my heart: “I do not want to treat my blessings as burdens.” That was hard to swallow, because as a mom it is so easy to get caught up in the day to day that you become so overwhelmed and take your life frustrations out on your kids. God’s grace provides us with the ability to be honest with ourselves and to fall apart, because He is there to help pick us up off the kitchen floor; yes I have fallen down on my kitchen floors in tears many times feeling like I have failed as a mother. I called my husband the other day in tears because I was so overwhelmed and just felt stuck, like I was not getting anywhere with the girls. Sometimes it’s hard for me because I feel like I have tried to rush them to be more independent so I can selfishly have some of my life back. It hurts me to admit that, but after seven and a half years and counting of staying at home, it can wear you down. There is also this need for me to prove myself to the world, that I am more than just a mom and Adam’s wife, but why? Why and to whom am I trying to prove myself? Why do I care so much about how society views me or what people think of me? I cannot keep chasing what the world tells me matters, but if I do not stop and see the beautiful life I have in front of me, I am going to miss out on the best parts of life. You only get one shot at this mom life, and when they grow up you can’t go back and get these tiny moments back. I want to be the best at being their mom, I want no one to do a better job than me. Even if my husband does something better than me, I will work my butt off to try to do it better or the same as him lol. This is where God’s grace comes through in the clutch because, news flash, you can’t have it together all the time and you are going to make mistakes. Having a good teammate in your spouse is a great thing because when you are struggling they lift you up.

“Grace beckons us to stop fighting our brokenness and embrace our belovedness.”

Embrace motherhood and all that it brings; yes it’s hard, but in the end you will see its worth it. There is not one perfect way to do motherhood, there is a right way in loving your kids and raising them to know and love God in a way that will shape their lives. Motherhood has taught me strength I never knew I had. Motherhood takes you through valleys, and they are not always going to be easy to get out of, but you will and when you do you will be stronger. Being a mom requires a selfless, generous and patient heart; you are going to give more of yourself than you could ever imagine. My favorite quote from my favorite book Come Matter Here; “the mission that God has for our little lives: that we become less selfish, less absorbed with our thoughts, less critical, less negative, and ultimately happier because of all the “less.”

Find peace in the “less”…I struggle with this every single day! I have to stop, take a breath, and tell myself to say three things I am grateful for to make me realize the life I am blessed with and to be thankful for it even when I don’t want to be. Embrace motherhood where you are right now, even through the long summer days, the constant fighting, the way too early mornings and the sink full of dishes that’s never-ending. Before you go to bed find three things to be thankful for and do the same when you wake up, find a book or devotional that fuels your heart.

“We must remember, though, our children don’t need us to be the perfection of Christ. They need to see us in pursuit of Christ.”

Mom Set Free

https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/mom-set-free-bible-study-book-P005720367