This week starts a new Bible study with Proverbs 31
OBS. We are reading Am I Messing Up My Kids by
Lysa TerKeurst and this is a great book!
I have read this book before and am so excited to be doing this
study. Because honestly just because I’ve
read this book before…I still feel like I’m a failure at this Mothering gig.
This week’s topic is “Being a Mom is Tough!”
I love how things line up because this week at
church we talked about Parenting…and
it fits perfectly with this study.
Being a Mom is tough…and there are days when it is so
exhausting that I just want to curl up in my bed and hide. Like today…the kids are building tents and
one is stealing the others things causing them to fight. I keep telling myself to stay out of it and
let them handle it but it’s wearing on me.
I do know that there are more rewarding days than hard
and I find that on those harder days I am trying to do it all on my own.
“He restores my soul…” Psalm 23:3
My Pastor said this weekend that,“You don’t have what it takes, but you do have WHO
it takes.” He is so right. I
don’t have what it takes to be a Mother…I don’t have the patience, the wisdom,
the strength to do it…but I do have WHO it takes. When I am being fed by His word…when I am
living on the Bread of Life…He becomes my power source. If my heart is right and God is my center…then
I can give to my kids. I can pour love,
light and Jesus into them. But when He
is not at my center…I depend on MY strength and it all fails.
“Anything
I do right as a mom is because of my constant dialogs with God. Anything I do wrong as a mom is because of
trying to do things in my own strength.”
~Lysa TerKeurst
~Lysa TerKeurst
As I was preparing for this study my daughter came to me
and asked what I was doing. I showed her
the book and told her that we were getting ready to do this book as a Bible
study. She read the title and said, “Mommy,
I hope you don’t think you are messing us up because you are the best Mommy in
the whole world. This title is wrong and
it should not be the title. Can we call
Ms. Lysa and let her know that she needs to change this title?”
I thought…wow. I
view myself as a failing Mom and my 10 year old views me way differently. Even though this Mommy…just earlier…yelled at
her for not being nice to her younger brother.
I was still carrying the guilt of yelling at her when I pulled the book
out and she came in delivering a message I so needed to hear.
“You are exactly the mom God
knew your children needed.” ~Lysa TerKeurst
Being a Mom is tough!
But knowing that I am getting some things right is medicine for my
heart. We have to communicate with God
on a daily basis in order to look like Jesus.
Jesus took time to go to his Father every single day. He needed it.
We need it.
“Change begins with a spark
of recognition within one’s heart.”
~Rachel Macy Stafford
~Rachel Macy Stafford
Mom’s we are not perfect….and will we never be. But let’s remember that “my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 Let
Him restore us because He is always with us.
“For You are with me.”
~Psalm 23:4
May I always
remember that these two are gifts from God.
That they are my joy. May I have an
extra dose of patience from Him and more hugs for them when days get long and
hard. And when the fights begin – may I
have a controlled tongue and the strength – His strength – to give them
grace. May I be the Mommy that shines
Jesus to them in our messy lives. May I
remember to dance with them and ignore the to-do lists, laundry piles, dishes
in the sink, social media blings, and whatever else takes me away…long enough
to remember this moment. This present moment.
Loved it as I always do!! Really appreciated your pastors words, and my heart smiled at your daughter's comment!!! Good job Michelle!!
ReplyDeleteThanks sweetie!! :)
DeleteI love this post!!!! A good reminder that often our kids don't even realize when we make messes... at least that's what I'm hoping =) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLauren, P31 OBS blog hop team
Thank you Lauren!! :)
DeleteIsn't it such an amazing thing to experience the unconditional love that our children lavish on us? It is so full of grace and forgiveness, and doesn't keep track of our mistakes. Such a blessing! :)
ReplyDeleteYES...it is!! Thank you for stopping by!! :)
Delete