Treasuring Life, II

In her book, Feminine Appeal, Carolyn Mahaney shares the following as she talks about the struggles of keeping a right attitude in motherhood.

"Because mothering requires constant sacrifice, the temptations to resentment, complaining, and self-pity are always close at hand.  But such selfishness will quickly sap the strength of our love for our children...As mothers, we have a choice. We can either resent the challenges and demands that accompany motherhood and persist in our selfishness, or we can draw from God's grace and receive his help to cheerfully lay down our lives for our children..." (p52,53)

There is no question about it, and anyone who's ever done it will agree, mothering is the hardest job there is to do.  If we let all of the demands that come with the job overcome us and if we try to tackle them all in our own strength, we WILL be unhappy and we WILL resent our children.  If, however, we look to the cross, and see (and learn from!) the example Christ gave us of serving day in and day out with abounding love for even complete strangers, we'll find the strength we need to get us through each difficult day and season of mothering.  I find I am most satisfied in life (and in those given to me) when I allow the calling of motherhood to take its rightful place of center-stage (in priority over other life responsibilities-- after God and husband, of course) instead of resenting it compared to whatever "else" I could be doing at the moment.  For me, discontentment in motherhood and in this stage of life, appears when I allow myself to dwell on "other possibilities." 

I've always been a dreamer -- somewhere in my the depths of my heart I've wanted to do something so big for God that it is as if it were impossible to do.  I recently heard a broadcast (don't ask me which one!) where a quote was made about God working in impossibilities; something to the effect that Christ-followers should live everyday doing the impossible because as Believers we should be living fully dependant upon Him -- and doing impossible tasks require relying on the God of impossibility.  I sighed at this thought and revisited the "oh, I wish I were doing something impossible for God" thought-- and then it hit me (I'm pretty sure it was the Holy Spirit that hit me, but ya know, not in a harmful way, lol) -- as a mother, I AM doing an impossible thing for Him!!!!  Raising children who will love the Lord and follow Him and lead their families someday to do the same IS an impossible task!!!  And, to do so successfully, can ONLY be done WITH the Lord!! Only HE will draw my children to Himself and only HE can give me the strength to keep going on the many days when I want to give up or "do something else." 

If you are in this with me, and feel the same way, let me encourage you; you, as a mother dedicated to her children, are attempting the impossible -- and we know that WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.  Keep on leaning on Him.


 

"Attempt something so impossible that unless God is in it, it's doomed to failure."  ~ John Haggai

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On Behalf of Desperation

Recently, one of my good friends had a baby increasing her "quiver" from one to two.  I remember this transition in my own life very well and remember how every minute seemed to drain my body by the physical demands made on me to provide for the constant needs of an 18-month-old and a newborn.  Sleep eludes its normal cycle and you are forever (it seems) sleep deprived and running on empty. 

I saw a Facebook post of this friend that described her 18 month old playing in flour on the floor while around her was strewn a dirty diaper (maybe two!- GASP!=), laundry baskets full of undone clothing, dirty dishes in the sink...on it went.  And my heart went out.  Oh, those memories!  I wanted to reach through the computer screen to just hug her and let her rest a minute.  (If I were at her house, I'd have done the dishes and laundry and then made supper!!!)  No words of "oh, it will get better" or the awful response that I sometimes got, "Oh, these are the good days, honey!"  or the often heard "enjoy it while they are young.  It'll pass so quickly!"  Really?!?  Those are the responses that hit like bricks and are as welcomed as words of "comfort" so often offered after the loss of a loved one.  As we get further along in our parenting journey we do see that the days pass quickly, but while one is in the middle of it, those words only make you feel guilty for being as tired and overwhelmed as you are.  They are of no comfort.

My challenge and request as a mom just a few years more into this is to women who have older children and are a little more independant-- give some time to a young mom!  Show up unannounced and do not take "no" for an answer to your offer to help.  Clean those dishes, prepare a meal, rock a crying baby, and let mom get some much needed rest!  I believe this was one of those things women in the days of old used to do for younger moms as they sought to obey the Titus 2 command to "train younger women to love their husbands and their children..." (Titus 2:4)  How can a woman continue to pour out and out and out without the proper rest her own body and soul needs?  We all know it is almost impossible to give the right responses to those we love when we are "out of steam".  So give the gift of rest to someone you know today.  (And then come back and let us know if you did!)  You will be blessed.  The momma will be blessed.  And all her family will be blessed as well. 

GO BE A BLESSING!!!

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And the Winner Is...!

The winner of the Education Cubes giveaway courtesy of Mama Jenn is...

Angela, from Mama's Two Cents Worth!!!!

Congrats, Angela!  Please send your email addy to me via mom2iek@gmail.com and I will get your info. over to Mama Jenn so she can add you to the membership list and you can start enjoying your Education Cube printables right away! 

Thanks to all who have participated. I'd still encourage you to add Education Cubes and the Photo Stacking Blocks to your "resources-to - buy" list for school or maybe even your Christmas list.  This past week we reviewed our Spanish greeting phrases with them and studied our sight words from Child 1st Publishing with them.  (I'd have pics, but part of my busyness was having my camera "tied up" a bit with my photog business.  Next time, right?!)

Still working on the next giveaway!  I have the product here and I'm SUPER excited to share it will you BUT I've got to get a few more details in place before I do so...hopefully by THIS WEEK'S END!!!

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