For Those Low-Motivation, Grumpy, Can-I-Go-Back-To-Bed? Kind of Days...

Have you ever received an encouraging word and just really, really appreciated it?

Wednesday was a horribly grumpy day. None of us slept good the night prior for various reasons, and so that made for grumpy children and grumpy parents when we had to rise out of bed Wednesday morning after too-few hours of sleep.


I got a slow start to my day and had about zero motivation to do our lessons. And once I did actually get started, Ian fought me tooth and nail, and seemed to be upset with everything. The day was not going well at all. Not one little bit.


And so finally, at 3pm, when I was about to throw my hands up in the air in despair, I decided to pick up the phone and call my mom instead.


And she encouraged me so much just by telling me that she remembered those days too. And she reminded me that all mothers have them, and the child-rearing years are some of the toughest years of parents' lives. And she encouraged me by telling me I was doing a good job. And that just made me feel so good. And my chest started to loosen and I didn't feel quite so hopeless.


And she also said that as she looks back now, with her daughters all grown and with children of their own, she remembers waiting for those young years that were so tough to pass in hopes that things would get easier. And then they really didn't get any easier anyway, and now she misses those years when we were young. So she encouraged me to really live in these years, these months, these weeks, these days, these moments. That, my friends, was good advice.


So, my whole point in writing this post is to let you know that, oh baby, I've been there too. I've had those days when I've seriously considered calling our local Christian school and enrolling the two younger kids in school. There's been times when I literally have just about given up (and I mean that seriously) with the issues we've faced in parenting an adopted teen. And there have been many days when I've stood in the middle of the living room, only able to shake my head at the disaster I used to call my home.


And I'm not a wreck. I'm not a failure. I'm not a loser. (Even though those very thoughts are often whispered into my ear by the enemy of my soul.) And neither are you. We're just normal mothers with flaws and weaknesses and imperfections, and we're not alone in our struggles.

And, wow, am I grateful that God doesn't kick me out of His "group" just because I don't keep a perfect house or always speak with grace to my children. But He takes me, He takes you, just as we are, and He uses us.


We are mothers by His calling. Hallelujah! Did you hear that????!!! You are a mother because God chose you for the job of raising the children that He sent to earth for a purpose.


Your little rambunctious, rowdy crowd was entrusted to you by Him. But, girlfriend, He doesn't want you to go it alone. He doesn't want you to work for Him in this mission field called motherhood. He wants you to work alongside Him as you raise your children.


Now, can we all take this load off? At least for the moment until we need reminded of all of this again?!


Have a most blessed weekend!

p.s. - The photos are courtesy of our first snow storm back in October. I know that they really don't relate to the topic of the post, but I've been meaning to post these for my Aunt Kathy in Texas who I'm so very envious of right now. :) I KNOW you miss Boston winters.