Dirty diapers, muddy shoes, mountains of laundry, filling the role of taxi driver, short-order cook, a nurse when needed…sound familiar? Yep, it’s a mom’s life and I can tell you that there are days when I feel overwhelmed by it. I will never forget the day when I had become so frustrated with my children asking me for yet one more thing that I had reached my limit. I turned to them and said emphatically, “I am NOT your servant!” Three little pairs of blue eyes just looked at me and I was instantly ashamed and had to walk away. I was reminded that actually, yes, I am like a servant (not a doormat, mind you) and I am to choose to serve them in love. How to do that? Well, here are a few mind-sets that I remind myself daily to maintain that have helped me greatly in this area:
1. Choose Joy
I have a personal choice each day when I wake up to choose to be grumpy or joyful; it’s a mind-set.
2. Choose Selflessness
This one is harder because we all have a sinful, selfish nature. There is no good in us (Romans 3:10) but God in His love (Romans 5:8) gave us a choice (John 3:16) to overcome our selfishness through Him.
3. Choose Growth
I can become a better person by committing to grow in many areas of my life. The most important growth stems from my quiet time each morning when I choose to read my Bible and spend time in prayer. My perspective changes and it is there at that time I see my life as God sees it: I am worthy, I am loved, and I have the most wonderful job in the entire world…to nurture and raise my children to love God and others.
4. Choose Encouragement
I have the biggest platform to be a cheerleader for my children! I can choose to build them up or tear them down. I must choose to look for the good more than I do the bad.
So, about those burdens I was talking about at the beginning? Hmmm…they don’t seem so bad after all when you look at the four choices we all need to face each day. Changing those dirty diapers can turn into a fun time of giggling and sweet kisses. Cleaning off the muddy shoes can turn into an opportunity to spend time teaching our children how to help mommy clean. Washing the never-ending mountain of laundry can turn into a time of thanking God that our children are alive and healthy. Serving as a taxi driver can turn into a very special time of conversation between mom and child. Being a short-order cook can turn into a time of teaching our children to set and clear the table, and it can result in the joy of knowing that you are giving them the most valuable time together as a family. The nurse, well, those occasions certainly can turn into moments for giving a comforting hug and kiss and having a chance to always say, “I love you!” After all, it’s a mom’s life and it’s wonderful!
Author: Editor
Community Connection is an outreach magazine and blog from Valley Forge Baptist to provide relevant and uplifting articles for the families and homes of Collegeville, PA and area residents. Articles are not just from staff but from other community members who’s lives have been touched by Jesus Christ. If we have been an encouragement to you please let us know at info@vfbt.org.
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