Mothering often resembles a roller coaster ride. There are the emotional ups and downs of our hormones that can leave us a mess. There are the extreme physical changes we go through in pregnancy that often leave us feeling as if we have morphed into a different person. We don't look the same, we don't feel the same and before we know it we are saying phrases like, " If you had listened that wouldn't have happened would it have?!" And then it hits us.....we have morphed into our mothers!! Juuuuust Joking! :)
But Seriously, that is only us, add our Children into the mix and the roller coaster takes a deep plunge and then literally spins us in circles! There are days when we are so in awe of the little blessings that God has entrusted us with, feeling so thankful that we were blessed to be called their mom. Then there are the days our children make us want to scream, pull our hair out, and check ourselves into the nearest mental hospital (or the children into the nearest zoo)!! I sometimes settle for locking myself in the bathroom with a king size dark chocolate bar. Don't Judge I do what's necessary to survive.
The combination of all the above can leave us feeling as if we are on a never ending ride. We are expected to manage our issues, our children and their issues, sometimes our husband's issues and also keep the house clean and have dinner on the table every night, yes, the family needs to eat, E V E R Y night! Shouldn't .
there be a plateau by now? Where is the end of this craziness? Will my children ever let me sleep uninterrupted for at least 6 hours, EVER?!
Despite the difficulties of being a mom, God's word says that "Children are a blessing from the Lord" Sometimes we are so focused on the negative and the struggles we don't even recognize the blessings.
Philippians 4:8 says, " ...whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, if there is anything praiseworthy, think on these things."
God has woven blessings even in the low moments of mothering. Up all night with the baby, again? Remind yourself this is a short season and before you can blink an eye they will be grown up. Say a prayer for the women out there who would give anything to be a mother but can't. Are the Kids driving you up the wall today? Give them grace and breathe as you remember all the grace God has given you and hold on to that moment earlier in the day that made you proud to be their mom. This too shall pass.
It is easy to focus on the negative. I know, I have always tended to be a half full kind of person. The emotional storms from within and without can too often leave us feeling as if we are on a small boat in a very large storm. We are crying out for help as the waves roll over us and we are wondering if God is even awake!
Listen to this narrative of the storm on the lake taken from the Children's Storybook Bible
" They were only about half way across when, out of nowhere, whirling winds swept across the lake, fierce and strong, like a hurricane! Thunder roared right overhead! The storm blew the water into towering waves that hurled the little boat up, up, up- then sent it hurling. CRASHING back down, down, down!
The fishing boat was blown and buffeted and tossed and turned-back and forth, up and down, left and right, and round and round! And in the middle of the storm, Jesus was sleeping.
Now Jesus' friends had been fisherman all their lives, but in all their years fishing on this lake they had never once seen a storm like this one. No matter how hard they struggled with their ropes and sails, they couldn't control their boat. This storm was too big for them.
( How often do I find myself in situations that are just too big for me? do you? We want to control everything, but it is impossible. Yet instead of giving our struggles to the Lord and admitting we can't do it on our own, we often still try to calm everything ourselves, even when God is sitting right there with us simply waiting for us to ask.)
But the Storm wasn't too big for Jesus. "HELP!" they screamed. Wake up! Quick, Jesus!" Jesus opened his eyes. "Rescue us! Save us!" they shrieked. "Don't you care?" (of course Jesus cared, and this was the very reason he had come- to rescue them and save them.) Jesus stood up and spoke to the storm. "Hush!" he said. that's all. And the strangest thing happened....
The wind and the waves recognized Jesus' voice. They listened to Jesus and did what he said. Immediately, the wind stopped. The water calmed down. It glittered innocently in the moonlight and lapped quietly against the side of the boat, as if nothing had happened. The little boat bobbed gently up and down, There was a deep stillness and a great quiet all around."
It is easy to feel that the "storms" of life are too big to handle. Raising kids, especially with my 9 year old, I often find myself at wit's end! As moms we tend to like to have control of everything; but sometimes we are left feeling as though our little world is spiraling out of control! When we look to God and relinquish our control over to him, he only needs to speak a word to calm the storm.
The Chaos that surrounds is often not to be compared to the storms that rage within our hearts. As we look to Christ he can give us a calm and quiet in the midst of the craziness around us. As we care for our families we will be able to weave the stillness and peace of God into the situations around us and into the little lives that we care for. We cannot do it alone, giving up control to the Lord, and giving our hearts to him is the key.
Psalms 107: 23-31
" Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters, they see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths. Their souls melt because of trouble. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm so that its waves are still, then they are glad because they are quiet; so he guides them to their desired haven. Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"
Happy Mothering!
Love,
Shannon
No comments:
Post a Comment