I have set goals and missed them. This happens to me everyday. You too? Why don't we celebrate more of our wins and give less attention to our losses?
Where I am winning: I am keeping two small people . . . actually two small people, two adult people, and two furry beings alive and happy. I cleaned half of the house this week. I'm back to cooking again! and laundry too!! We even cooked for other people this week!
I don't know about you, dear friend, but I know I get weighed down with worry and shortcomings. I let where I am falling short bring me down. I ride the waves of my emotions. Don't you know that you don't have to give your emotions any weight? Acknowledge them and then move on. (I'm telling this to myself.) Better yet, acknowledge them and lift them up to God in prayer. I have been practicing this. "I'm feeling frustrated and disappointed because this didn't turn out as I had planned. I give it up to you to handle, God. Permeate my heart. In Jesus's name, amen." You won't believe me unless you try this on your own, but I always lighten up immediately. A loud and clear message came to me this week: God is in control and He knows better. Complaining is telling God that we know better than Him.
As a stay-at-home mom, I can spend a lot of time in my own head. As moms, we can feel pretty alone, can't we? I know I can get weighed down with worry and guilt. These are tools meant to keep me feeling sad and not achieving what God wants for me. What makes it worse? Facebook! I am constantly at odds with this darn Facebook! It's a great way to feel connected, but it draws me into its vortex and next thing I know I'm reading 100 ways my children can be harmed or scarred for life by the food we eat or the toys we play with. My brain starts swarming with what I should be doing or what I want to do or what I will do today, this week, this month or things we can never do but wish we could. It's so overwhelming. Can you feel me?
A thought stopped me in my tracks and made these worries and burdens lighter. It was the realization that I am trying to live everything all at once and I don't have to. I read about how my babies are getting older by the second and I get sad about that. I read about how this or that can hurt or even kill them and I get worried about that. I get sucked into a downward spiral. But, God reassured me by telling me that I was trying to take everything in at one time and that is too much for anyone to bear. I was trying to live right now and live in a thousand possible futures that will probably never come true. My mind was taking me through all of these harms that could come my children's way as they are growing up. I was mourning the loss of their little days before they are gone. And that's just too cruel.
I ran into a man on an elevator the other day and I think he was telling me what God wanted me to hear. He looked at my baby and he said "He's beautiful, enjoy every moment as he is small. Stop everything and enjoy." (I paraphrase. This is my blog and that's essentially what I heard. You weren't there to tell me otherwise.😏) I can confidently say that I have enjoyed every moment with my oldest and continue to. I still can't believe we are parents to these two wonderful boys.
And now my mind is mushy and I am distracted by a cute, sleepy baby face. No, not Chad's! This one favors me and has stolen my heart. Amazing isn't it? Your heart really does grow bigger with each one! I am just one big mushy heart now, full-to-overflowing with love. God reminds me that I need to completely rely on Him because this momming thing is scary and overwhelming. We are vulnerable to so much. All of this information is coming at us every minute and it's not all good and it doesn't all need to be consumed. Lighten your load with me and remember to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 Filter every thought through the lens of Christ: His nature, His strength, His love. Here's a small glimpse into my world and one of my favorite things to do.
Where I am winning: I am keeping two small people . . . actually two small people, two adult people, and two furry beings alive and happy. I cleaned half of the house this week. I'm back to cooking again! and laundry too!! We even cooked for other people this week!
I don't know about you, dear friend, but I know I get weighed down with worry and shortcomings. I let where I am falling short bring me down. I ride the waves of my emotions. Don't you know that you don't have to give your emotions any weight? Acknowledge them and then move on. (I'm telling this to myself.) Better yet, acknowledge them and lift them up to God in prayer. I have been practicing this. "I'm feeling frustrated and disappointed because this didn't turn out as I had planned. I give it up to you to handle, God. Permeate my heart. In Jesus's name, amen." You won't believe me unless you try this on your own, but I always lighten up immediately. A loud and clear message came to me this week: God is in control and He knows better. Complaining is telling God that we know better than Him.
As a stay-at-home mom, I can spend a lot of time in my own head. As moms, we can feel pretty alone, can't we? I know I can get weighed down with worry and guilt. These are tools meant to keep me feeling sad and not achieving what God wants for me. What makes it worse? Facebook! I am constantly at odds with this darn Facebook! It's a great way to feel connected, but it draws me into its vortex and next thing I know I'm reading 100 ways my children can be harmed or scarred for life by the food we eat or the toys we play with. My brain starts swarming with what I should be doing or what I want to do or what I will do today, this week, this month or things we can never do but wish we could. It's so overwhelming. Can you feel me?
A thought stopped me in my tracks and made these worries and burdens lighter. It was the realization that I am trying to live everything all at once and I don't have to. I read about how my babies are getting older by the second and I get sad about that. I read about how this or that can hurt or even kill them and I get worried about that. I get sucked into a downward spiral. But, God reassured me by telling me that I was trying to take everything in at one time and that is too much for anyone to bear. I was trying to live right now and live in a thousand possible futures that will probably never come true. My mind was taking me through all of these harms that could come my children's way as they are growing up. I was mourning the loss of their little days before they are gone. And that's just too cruel.
I ran into a man on an elevator the other day and I think he was telling me what God wanted me to hear. He looked at my baby and he said "He's beautiful, enjoy every moment as he is small. Stop everything and enjoy." (I paraphrase. This is my blog and that's essentially what I heard. You weren't there to tell me otherwise.😏) I can confidently say that I have enjoyed every moment with my oldest and continue to. I still can't believe we are parents to these two wonderful boys.
And now my mind is mushy and I am distracted by a cute, sleepy baby face. No, not Chad's! This one favors me and has stolen my heart. Amazing isn't it? Your heart really does grow bigger with each one! I am just one big mushy heart now, full-to-overflowing with love. God reminds me that I need to completely rely on Him because this momming thing is scary and overwhelming. We are vulnerable to so much. All of this information is coming at us every minute and it's not all good and it doesn't all need to be consumed. Lighten your load with me and remember to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 Filter every thought through the lens of Christ: His nature, His strength, His love. Here's a small glimpse into my world and one of my favorite things to do.
Dear Lauren,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this <3.
I can tangibly remember those precious moments with each of our girls when they were infants. I especially remember the sweet, warm, softness of our late night/early morning feedings, when it was just the baby and me in the stillness of the night.
Do take the time to soak in all those moments. They are a comfort to a mom when those babes are teens and harder to get your arms around. Not only because they are grown people, often taller than us, but also because they are strong and independent & their lives become so active that it is hard to find those quiet moments together.
However, you will never loose that connection that you fostered when you could hold them in your arms and on your shoulder. When you could love away any concerns or pains they were having at that stage. This is the love they will pull from when they are out in the world, on their own two feet. Where they will find the courage to become the special and unique person God intended.
Much love <3