I went to see the movie Mom's Night Out tonight. Cute movie, though it had it's moments of cheese and exaggerated drama, I'd say it was good. It made me think though...
When I was young all I wanted to do was be a Wife and a Mommy. I never really had another career that I wanted to take on. There were things I liked to do as I got older, but nothing that I wanted to dedicate 'all of that time to'. I remember sitting with Sam while we were dating and talking about how I couldn't wait to have kids and write their names on their lunch boxes and write cute notes and leave them inside (life kind of took a turn there, huh). When I worked in daycare in high school and some of college I would watch the Mom's as they would drop off and pick up their kids and wonder what their lives were like. How fun it must be to have kids. How exciting their weekends must be. All the crafts you would get to do!! Wowza, I was so young...
Now that I am more seasoned in life and have two treasures of my own, I see the picture much differently. It's HARD! In fact, it's crazy hard! If we as Mommy's are doing it right, we are the glue that holds it all together. We are constantly needed by someone. There is always a job to get done, a meal to be made, a scratch to heal, a bottom to wipe, a argument to referee, clothes to be washed and put away, errands to be run, groceries to be bought; you get the picture. The Devil tries so hard to cloud our minds with all of the chaos and sweat and exhaustion of being a Mom that we tend to forget that there are also hugs to give, kisses to blow, hearts to mold and minds to teach. This is our job! A job given to us by the Almighty Boss. He chose our resume' out of thousands, no one else's. He looked at us and found us perfect for this job, our job. To be the one who our children would look up to, run to and hold hands with. Us, Me, You, no one else.
It's so easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to our friends, women at church, blogger Mom's, Pinterest and in my case homeschool Mom's. There is always someone else who appears to be keeping the ship afloat, while we feel our's is sinking. It's easy to lose ourselves in the fear, the denial and the suffocation of not doing our jobs well enough, or even perfect. Comparison is at ticking time bomb waiting to explode some sweet Momma's nerves. Satan is right there at all times trying to make us second guess ourselves. What if we started doing this job only for Him, our family and ourselves. Not worrying what someone else is doing and how they are doing it. If only there was the perfect book to guide us through this crazy season of our lives.
Oh wait, there is. It's called the Bible. Written by the most amazing parent ever known. If we don't make the choice daily to find refuge in our Heavenly Father, how can we expect to be an amazing parent for our children to find refuge in? The Bible is full of 'how to's' for parenthood, yet it is the most passed over book. Life is so much easier and clearer with Jesus. So much more peaceful and free. When life is crazy and out of control if we would just stop and exhale, we will find Him. Standing there waiting to wipe our tears, kiss our scratches and hold our hand. We are never alone.
When my kids are on their own grown, I want them to see me as a Mom who's faith led her, whose heart guided her, who's family drover her and who's God carried her. It is important to me that I am doing my job to the best of MY ability. That I am not putting others before my own. That I am not taking this wonderful privilege for granted. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how many things I have signed up to attend, how many parties I've thrown, how many church or community functions I have offered to help with. What matters is my God and my family, period. What matters is that I am fed by Him and because of that my family is able to be fed by me. After that nothing else matters - not one single silly thing. With Jesus on my side and in my heart I can be amazing, for me.
Psalm 62:5-8
New Living Translation (NLT)
5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
7 My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
8 O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.
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