On a Day Like Today

http://proverbs31.org/devotions/devo/giving-my-first-moments-to-god/

 

   I read this devotional today (link is above) and it was encouraging to me! On a day like today when I feel frazzled and not ready to tackle what lies ahead; may I be reminded of the truths in Scripture that say it's not up to me to get through my day, it's only when I rely on HIM that will get me through my day. 

   It also reminded me that I need to start my days before the Lord. I am not a morning person and I have a child who thinks sleeping in is just barely sleeping until 7am. But I need to choose a way to "get with the Lord" before the craziness of my life kicks into full gear. Maybe it's a prayer as I hop into the shower and then a more specific time later in the day.. I just need to do it. My overwhelmed mind and weary heart need it! 

You're a Terrible Mother

Attachments aPreview YouTube video The Mother ‘Hood Official Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me9yrREXOj4&feature=em-share_video_user

A few months back I watched this video.  I'm sure lots of people saw it, since it was floating around on Facebook for awhile. It is clever and entertaining. It is made by a well known baby formula company and jokingly shows different groups of people with varying ideas of what and how is best to feed baby.  But for me it was very thought provoking. It brought to my mind a larger issue than whether to choose formula or breast milk.

The issue it brought to my mind is what I am calling "Mom Shaming."  I'm sure you have heard the term "Fat Shaming" since it is pretty well known right now. It essentially is when someone makes another person feel bad because she is  built a little different than the swimsuit models we see on magazine covers. Don't get me wrong. I, for one, love the idea of teaching women (young and old) to love the body that God gave them. Whether a size 2 or a size 22, we are each unique and need not compare ourselves and think we are somehow "less than" if we don't look exactly like somebody else. But that's not my focus for this post. 

So what do I mean by "Mom Shaming"? We have probably all felt it from time to time. Either by someone intentionally or by us making ourselves feel it.

The list of areas to feel shamed over is large: homeschooling, private or public schooling; breast milk or formula; organic foods or fast food; spanking or time outs; immunization or non immunization; parent led or baby led sleep training; stay at home mom or working mom.. The list goes on and on. 

What I have come to realize in my years of mothering is that each of us are different. Each of us have certain standard and ideas as to how we want to mother our precious children. And that is how it should be!! Aside from something that goes against what the Bible teaches us as parents to do, we should feel the freedom of choosing what is best for OUR family. Sadly though, often times this is not what happens. We hear of the mom who only feeds her kids food that she planted as seeds and grew on her own land organically and suddenly you feel it... The shame that our kids ate fast food that day. 

Whether we choose to home school, immunize, breast feed or not should not be a measuring stick amongst us mommies! We should be cheering each other on in this joyous (yet exhausting) job as Mother. 

If each of us is doing what we think the Lord wants us to do then who is anyone to judge. Being a mom is hard work. It can be discouraging and lonely at times. It is often a thankless job. But it is what we are called to do!! God will give us the grace and strength to do it. 

So instead of feeling shame when we hear that we mother differently than someone else, may we be excited to see a fellow mom doing what has been put in her heart to do. May we root for each other in this glorious task! If we are terrible at growing veggies let us encourage and complement the mom who has the gift of a green thumb. If we choose to use homeopathic ways to help our children get over a sickness instead of a prescription from a doctor, let's not make her feel bad for doing so and instead let her know that we are praying for her child and we are here to help if she needs it. 

I strongly believe there are definite rights and wrongs according to the Bible, but I also believe there are many areas of preference in parenting. My heart in this post is not to point fingers because I have often been guilty of thinking my way is best. My desire is to remind us to look out and see other moms who are parenting in different ways than we are and celebrate that we are all doing our best. Even if it looks totally different. 

So be encouraged if you fall victim to Mom Shaming. Be encouraged that we all have felt it, we all struggle with it and we are all in this thing together! 

Why the Change?

So, I decided to change the name and look of my blog.  I want this blog to remain focused on the Gospel and how it impacts my life. But I also wanted to incorporate a few other things as well. I guess I want to kinda give my blog a few more "splashes" of me.  I want to add baking and cooking posts, crafting posts and just everyday snippets. I have renamed it "My Joyous Mess". When I told my husband the new name his response was "Well, that is completely fitting for our life now."

The new blog name sums up life as I know it now. My life is fun, busy, and yes, it can get messy but it's mine. It's the life I have the joy of living. In good and bad, this is the life God has planned for me.  I have two kids, a husband, an ever mounting pile of laundry, dishes in the sink, and the list goes on and on. But I am striving to live my life filled with joy and thankfulness in the midst of it all. Am I very good at that? Nope. It is a day by day (sometimes minute by minute) choice to enjoy the life I am blessed to have.

There you have it... so here we go! :)

Look Up

It had been a bit of a hard week for me. One of those, " I'm doing everything wrong as a wife/mother," 

"I just can't keep up with the laundry, dishes, and house work," 

"Am I doing anything right?" kind of weeks. 

Everywhere I looked around me I saw something I needed to tend to. From kids dirty pajamas thrown across the floor to a sink piled full of dishes to be washed. I was overwhelmed! It seemed the to do list in my head was a mile long. 

As I stood in my kitchen trying to decipher where and what I needed to turn to for help. The thought popped into my head, "Just look up!". So I did just that... 

This picture is of a sign that hangs above the window over my sink. It struck me. I had been so busy looking out and around  myself that I had neglected to look up. Of course, this had a double meaning. I didn't need to just look up and see those words on my sign. I needed to look up and see Christ. It's in Him I find my comfort, rest, and solutions to my crazy life problems! It's in Him my hope is found!

So remember the next time you feel the tasks closing in on you, look up! You may not have a sign hanging above your window. But you have a Savior in whom all hope is found! 

P.S. I had this sign made by a friend of mine. Her business is called Bushel & A Peck. Check her out on Facebook. She is super talented! https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=142524789262545

Don't Blink

Over the years I have heard many parents tell me how quickly time flies by when you have children. I always believed what they said was true but never fully understood it until I had children of my own. 

Recently in things that I have heard and read I am reminded of the importance of spending time with my kids. Sadly, I don't do it as often as I should. I always think that once the laundry is folded, the dishes are done and the house is clean I will be free to spend time with them. But in this current season of my life, the tasks I listed are very rarely all completed. So I put off time with my kids for another day so I can get caught up.

 I allow the demanding and never ending "voice" of household chores drown out the sweet voices of my littles who are asking me to come and play. My heart is deeply saddened by this! But instead of living in condemnation of falling short of the idea of the "mom I should be". I choose to repent of wrong doing and live in the freedom of the "mom I am". 

I know that the time I have with my children living in my home is limited and I want to cherish my time with them. So I am making myself a plan to set aside at least 5-10 minutes per day for quality time with my kids. I know this sounds small, but it all starts with baby steps, right?!

I know that the laundry and dishes will always be here demanding my attention, but my young children will not be. In fact it's my job as their mother to be training them for when they leave my home. This special time with them will go by in the blink of an eye. And I want to make the most of it.

I love this picture of my kids:) Photo credit: Shae Steffensen 

Identity

 I have been reading "Who Do You Think You Are?" by Mark Driscoll. 

Though I'm not even through the first chapter yet, I am reminded of my sinful tendencies to find my identity in someone or something other than who I am in Christ.

One section of the book stood out to me today and I wanted to share it. In speaking of Adam and Eve he wrote:

"And here is the lie: we will be 'like' God if we'll base our identity upon someone or something else other than God and the grace God bestows upon us. Adam and Eve fell for it. Rather than simply believing that they were already 'like God' because God made them in his 'likeness,' our first parents disbelieved their God-given identity and instead sought to create their own apart from him. The result was the first sin and the Fall. We humans have had an identity crisis ever since, seeking to construct an identity ourselves while forgetting about the one God has already given us. " 

All too often I forget that I have already been given an identity in Christ. I try to find it in being a good mother, wife, friend, church member... Which are all good things to strive to grow in. But if I'm not firmly rooted in the truth that my identity is in Christ, and his finished work on the cross. Then all my striving is in vain! Anything done in my own power will falter. But if I see myself as God sees me (in Christ). I will be a great mother, wife, friend and church member all to His glory! 

Man, am I thankful it's not up to me to earn my place with God. That work was accomplished on the cross! 

So, here is to starting off another week with a renewed mindset. I don't need to try to construct a new identity for myself. I have one... It's in the finished work of Christ on my behalf!! 

Bits and Pieces

As a wife and mother, most times I feel the pressure of keeping my household in perfect order. The pressure to present my family as "all-together" with every piece of our lives in place. The truth is, we live in a fallen world! The possibility of my family and house being perfect is never going to happen.

I was reminded of this in the middle of the night. I had been up with my son a couple of times and my daughter had woken up at least once, as well. All with a sick hubby lying next to me. The Lord graciously reminded me that in my own strength I'm not able to keep it all going. I may be able to put a few pieces together, here or there. But the overall, complete result is up to Christ. It's not my job to prefect my family. It's my job to serve them, care for them and continually point them to the only One who can keep things all together. 

It was was a freeing reminder for this tired momma! Hope it encourages you as well:)