So lately I find myself wondering how can I do all the things we moms need to do and keep a light hearted, cheerful disposition with my children. I find myself needlessly irritated, grouchy, and impatient WAY too often with my beautiful kiddos. I can tell that under stress I have WAY less patience. Unfortunately with 4 kids aged 2,3,5, & 7, homeschoooing, and life on a tight budget....it can feel like stress is a way of life instead of a passing feeling.
So I have really been praying "Lord, help me be the mom you made me to be! The mom I want to be!" In response, I feel like the Lord has been pointing out that joy comes from a heart at peace. Peace comes from trusting Jesus in the details. Taking a moment to ask myself "what does my behavior say about what I believe." Am I acting like I truly believe Jesus is with me and "is my ever present help in time of trouble" and that He will always take care of me, or am I acting like I need to protect myself or assert my rights. Jesus is all about a servant heart, and loves to be our help when we let Him.
For example..at 8:30 this morning I am trying to cornrow my 3 yr old daughter Bella's hair while she protests with all her might (it is starting to feel like a full scale battle!), my 2 year old Cruz who is potty training with the bare bum method poops on the floor just as a friend stops over with her year old niece for a quick hello (LOVE that she takes the time to stop by!), and my son will NOT start his homeschool! I start to feel overwhelmed, irritated, snappy and unkind. In this situation there are two ways to look at this.."AH!! Of course I am stressed and if I start to vent my frustration it is only reasonable!" or I can stop when I notice my mood changing, my stress levels rising and take a breath. I can ask myself "so what? What if there is poop on the floor, can it be cleaned? Yes. So what if things aren't going as smooth as I would like them? Will things be ok? Are there huge life altering things at stake? No. Can I trust Jesus for this moment? YES!!" I would love to say that I stopped and calmed myself , and shot a quick prayer up, but I didn't. I let me frustration get the better of me and was just plain old grouchy!
But times like this morning are learning experiences if we let them be. By taking the time to examine what we didn't like about our behavior in the day and asking God for clarity on how we can handle the situation better the next time we can at least find a better solution and prep ourselves. God is a gentle guide when we open ourselves up to His leading. He won't dump all our failures on us, or overwhelm us with our faults. He will gently, lovingly reveal to us areas that He is at work in us. And that is the key.. He is at work in us when we call on Him and let Him be. We participate but we also trust His process, and timing. I want that heart at peace. I want that JOY that expresses itself in GRACE toward my family. So Lord I pray help us moms in the thick of it to trust you in the details and let you be our peace. Peace that leads to patience, joy and kindness. The things we need to be the moms you made us to be!
What do you do to reign in the grouch inside and give out patience when it seems impossible?
So I have really been praying "Lord, help me be the mom you made me to be! The mom I want to be!" In response, I feel like the Lord has been pointing out that joy comes from a heart at peace. Peace comes from trusting Jesus in the details. Taking a moment to ask myself "what does my behavior say about what I believe." Am I acting like I truly believe Jesus is with me and "is my ever present help in time of trouble" and that He will always take care of me, or am I acting like I need to protect myself or assert my rights. Jesus is all about a servant heart, and loves to be our help when we let Him. For example..at 8:30 this morning I am trying to cornrow my 3 yr old daughter Bella's hair while she protests with all her might (it is starting to feel like a full scale battle!), my 2 year old Cruz who is potty training with the bare bum method poops on the floor just as a friend stops over with her year old niece for a quick hello (LOVE that she takes the time to stop by!), and my son will NOT start his homeschool! I start to feel overwhelmed, irritated, snappy and unkind. In this situation there are two ways to look at this.."AH!! Of course I am stressed and if I start to vent my frustration it is only reasonable!" or I can stop when I notice my mood changing, my stress levels rising and take a breath. I can ask myself "so what? What if there is poop on the floor, can it be cleaned? Yes. So what if things aren't going as smooth as I would like them? Will things be ok? Are there huge life altering things at stake? No. Can I trust Jesus for this moment? YES!!" I would love to say that I stopped and calmed myself , and shot a quick prayer up, but I didn't. I let me frustration get the better of me and was just plain old grouchy!
But times like this morning are learning experiences if we let them be. By taking the time to examine what we didn't like about our behavior in the day and asking God for clarity on how we can handle the situation better the next time we can at least find a better solution and prep ourselves. God is a gentle guide when we open ourselves up to His leading. He won't dump all our failures on us, or overwhelm us with our faults. He will gently, lovingly reveal to us areas that He is at work in us. And that is the key.. He is at work in us when we call on Him and let Him be. We participate but we also trust His process, and timing. I want that heart at peace. I want that JOY that expresses itself in GRACE toward my family. So Lord I pray help us moms in the thick of it to trust you in the details and let you be our peace. Peace that leads to patience, joy and kindness. The things we need to be the moms you made us to be!
What do you do to reign in the grouch inside and give out patience when it seems impossible?
6 comments:
thanks for making me CRY! i have no profound words of advice except to keep "abiding in Him!"
you have been CHOSEN for His work and even amidst the poop (pun intended :) we need to remember that! HE CHOSE YOU!
keep up the good fight and work at EVERYTHING (even those frustratingly sweet babies) as if working for the Lord. how would we respond if He showed up as that "friend" each morning?? He does!
(I'm saying this all to myself mostly ya know. wink wink!)
I quit my well paid job to be a SAHM and of course do all the things like you mentioned...and yes...stress as usual...try to control my anger and pray of more patience all the time...promise myself to do better when seeing those little faces asleep on their beds at night...We are molding them and their future...it's a great responsibility and your deserve to feel stressful! But I know you are doing a good job! Cause you care and love them and that's what matters!
Thanks ladies. So encouraging to read your comments. Praying for you Ashley for your big visit coming up! Blessings!
"so what? What if there is poop on the floor, can it be cleaned?"
Thank you so much for that laugh! I know your point wasn't to make us laugh. I totally get the rest of your post and resonate deeply with it.
It's just that that line was SO funny....because I have totally been there and NOT said "So what? What if there is poop on the floor"....oh no. I poop on the floor would send me into (and has) full on panic mode. That kind of morning just begs for our human flesh to go into crazy mode (or grumpy, if you want to be nice about it). God does give us the grace and forgiveness we don't deserve. Thankfully our kids also forgive readily.
Ok, just so you know, I myself have not pooped on the floor...oh my. Should have read through my reply. Ack! That was supposed to say "A poop" not "I poop"
Marcy you crack me up! That is too funny. Thanks for the encouragement, so glad God and our kids are so forgiving! Marcy your blog always blesses me. Thanks!
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