There were some days I questioned if I would ever be a mom, being married later in life as I was. Suddenly I find myself the mom of two, soon to be three. It’s hard to believe that I would be trusted with so much.
Being a mom is tough work but I wouldn’t change it for the world. The days that bring joy to my heart and a smile to my face far outweigh the days that are challenging in so many ways. I strive to be the best mom. I want to figure it all out and have my kids have fun and obey each day.
One of my favorite motherhood quotes that I saw posted on Facebook today is “The most important thing she’d learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” Jill Churchill
That’s what I will strive to be, a good mom. I will never be perfect but I can definitely be good. What a great perspective for me. I know, without a doubt, that I have and will make mistakes along the way. I try my best to not compare myself to other moms, because regardless of how similar or different our parenting may be, we are all different and created to be that way.
I never thought that I would be a stay-at-home mom. But again, I wouldn’t change it for the world. We have made it work for us and have made quite a few sacrifices along the way to make it happen. We gave it to God and he has provided. I don’t know how moms do it that work and maintain a home. We all have our challenges.
I pray for each of the moms that have been unable to have children or have lost children along the way. I can’t imagine that pain. You will be blessed.
Thank you, Lord, for giving me an awesome mom. I truly can’t imagine what I would do without her. She helps with my kids, knows everything about the kitchen =), loves me regardless of my choices, and most importantly, she prays for me and my family! What an incredible example she is to me, a praying and loving mom!
Thank you Lord for giving me this opportunity to be a mom! Please help me along this journey and help me to raise my children in the way they should go.
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
"You Can't Do That"
Today was our last regular meeting of MOPS this year. They asked, “How has your life been impacted this year?” (or something like that) A few ladies shared how God has touched their lives this year. I wanted to get up and share a couple different things but it scares me half to death. If I hadn’t been choked up for half the other chats, maybe I could have.
For me, when she asked something about our kids this year, I was thinking about Ashley and a conversation I had with an old friend this weekend at the Devoted Hearts Women’s Conference.
Travis and I have been contemplating homeschooling for our children. There are so many questions to ask and find answers to. My biggest fear is not being able to do it, not being good enough. Since Ashley has been slow at walking, talking, and her overall growth, it’s a challenge to think that I am going to be able to teach her... anything. I simply doubt my ability. Not only that, I’m also scared of the judgment and doubts of those around me. “Why would you want to home school?” “Oh, you’re a home school family?” Those fears hit me hardest when I found out that less than a handful of our MOPS group is considering homeschooling. I’m doing my best to know, we simply need to do what is best for OUR family. Just because it may not be everyone’s choice, doesn’t mean it can’t be ours. Those who choose to place their children in public school, there is nothing wrong with that. Those who choose to place their children in private school, there is nothing wrong with that. Those who choose to home school, there is nothing wrong with that either. I guess I just don’t want to be one of “those” families. I am learning more and more though (daily it seems) that I can’t focus on what everyone around me thinks, and the world thinks, and build my life on that. I need to live for Jesus and my family, first and foremost. I will never live up to all the expectations of people around me, we fail others.
So, all of this leading to my point. I was talking to my friend about my fears and that Ashley may not “get it”, etc. She reminded me, “There are some people that think that children need to learn to read at two years old and others that think they don’t need to learn to read until they are eight years old. Everyone has different standards/expectations. But are you living your life on the world’s standards or God’s standards?” This really resonated with me because I was trying to place my own expectations on myself according to the world (as usual) and not what’s important to God.
It doesn’t matter if “the world” says “You can’t do that.”
It doesn’t matter if “the world” says “Why would you do that?”
It doesn’t matter if “the world” says “You aren’t _____ enough to do that.”
“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”Philippians 4:13
No matter what our decision ends up being, God will help me. When I fail, He will pick me up. When I succeed, it will be because of Him and He will celebrate with us.
For me, when she asked something about our kids this year, I was thinking about Ashley and a conversation I had with an old friend this weekend at the Devoted Hearts Women’s Conference.
Travis and I have been contemplating homeschooling for our children. There are so many questions to ask and find answers to. My biggest fear is not being able to do it, not being good enough. Since Ashley has been slow at walking, talking, and her overall growth, it’s a challenge to think that I am going to be able to teach her... anything. I simply doubt my ability. Not only that, I’m also scared of the judgment and doubts of those around me. “Why would you want to home school?” “Oh, you’re a home school family?” Those fears hit me hardest when I found out that less than a handful of our MOPS group is considering homeschooling. I’m doing my best to know, we simply need to do what is best for OUR family. Just because it may not be everyone’s choice, doesn’t mean it can’t be ours. Those who choose to place their children in public school, there is nothing wrong with that. Those who choose to place their children in private school, there is nothing wrong with that. Those who choose to home school, there is nothing wrong with that either. I guess I just don’t want to be one of “those” families. I am learning more and more though (daily it seems) that I can’t focus on what everyone around me thinks, and the world thinks, and build my life on that. I need to live for Jesus and my family, first and foremost. I will never live up to all the expectations of people around me, we fail others.
So, all of this leading to my point. I was talking to my friend about my fears and that Ashley may not “get it”, etc. She reminded me, “There are some people that think that children need to learn to read at two years old and others that think they don’t need to learn to read until they are eight years old. Everyone has different standards/expectations. But are you living your life on the world’s standards or God’s standards?” This really resonated with me because I was trying to place my own expectations on myself according to the world (as usual) and not what’s important to God.
It doesn’t matter if “the world” says “You can’t do that.”
It doesn’t matter if “the world” says “Why would you do that?”
It doesn’t matter if “the world” says “You aren’t _____ enough to do that.”
“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”Philippians 4:13
No matter what our decision ends up being, God will help me. When I fail, He will pick me up. When I succeed, it will be because of Him and He will celebrate with us.
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