Hi friend! I am so glad you have stopped by the site. We have such a wonderful community of moms here and we would LOVE for you to join us as we share life and learn together!
All in Hope
I'm an introvert.
I've known it since the first time I heard the word, and truly understood what it meant. Reserved, quiet in groups of strangers, worn out by large groups of people, hater of small talk, harder to get to know, thought snobby by some, and completely overstimulated by noise.
Lucky for me I have really quiet boys...
Ahem...
You're not the only mom that feels like screaming today.
You're not the only one holding back frustration's tears.
No, there are many whose gaze falls on cracker crumbs, unfolded clothes, crusty dishes, and needy little faces, feeling despair's crushing weight. "It's only getting worse," the voice inside tells them. "You're failing. There's no way off this life-sucking treadmill."
But you, my sister, are not past hope.
If I knew that slowing down to say hello to a fellow mom could land me in such a pool of mommy guilt, I would have kept on going. She started off the conversation with a rather innocent question, but before I knew what happening, one of my comments opened up a door to an accusation I never saw coming . . . and that triggered an onslaught of mommy guilt. I nodded along with a smile on my face, but but on the inside, I was on the brink of tears and feeling like a failure as a mom.
I pressed on with the details of the evening, feeling icky and wishing I could go home. All I wanted to do was talk to my husband, and yet looking back, I’m so glad that was not an option. Instead, I ended up emptying my heart before the Lord each time the emotions rose up inside of me.
Stick to your priorities. Jettison everything else. I love this one because it makes everything so much easier. Once I know what is important to us - to our family - then everything else gets a polite, "No thank you." You are not obligated to attend every craft bazaar, cookie exchange, or Christmas play. You are only committed to what is best for your family.
Reject all commercialism. It has no place in your home. Block advertisements, mute the television, and throw out the garbage coming at you. Pay zero attention to the world's attempt at redefining Christmas. They've got it all wrong. Stick to the Real Story of Christ.
I'd like to think I'm an expert pray-er. I can clearly see how my prayers changed things. For example, I have three little kids—not birthed from me—running around my house who are examples of that. Yet the way that my prayers changed the future is different than you think.
God is not a genie in a bottle. My prayers weren't effective because I figured out the right words to make God do what I want to do. I used to think that. As a young Christian I'd try all sorts of things:
I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I believed deep down if I said the right things, at the right time, in the right way, that God could be swayed.
I’m right in the middle of this sanctifying, exasperating, exhilarating job of raising children.
I don’t quite qualify as a Titus 2 “older woman,” so I’m not going to tell you what you’re doing wrong (smile).
But now that I’m past the preschool years and diving into the teens, I’m seeing some fruit of my early-motherhood days...
The good and the bad.
As I think out loud about what I wish I could adjust, I pray you’ll find encouragement. And if the Holy Spirit nudges you to make any changes... well, my advice is listen, so you can look back on these years with joy rather than regret.
The first change I'd make?
