This Mother's Miserable Mistake

It was mid May and I was a Mom of four young kids in school. Enough said, right? It was only 10 am that particular weekday but already I felt drained and I just couldn’t go on without a cat nap. Yes, surely a cat nap would revive my May depleted soul. The warm, morning sun was shining in my bedroom so I stretched across the bed thankful for the silence.

This season had me swirling like spaghetti noodles in a pot of boiling water as I rushed around making “end of school” life happen for these four doodle bugs of mine. Emails, phone calls, parties, spring sports, book reports and tests as well as the normal homework, carpools and making lunches had me limp and weak as my spirit at times was boiling out of frustration and exhaustion. May was the new December but without presents!

Dozing off I reminded myself of the Chick-Fil-A lunch I had promised to kid #3 that day because it was his turn, and oh, let me bring lunch to your teacher too for an end of the year treat! There I go again being the Mom of the year! As I stretched out to rest I had no worries; that lunch delivery was two hours away and all I needed was fifteen minutes of recovery.

3 hours later…

Yes, you heard that right, three hours later, I rolled over glancing at the ceiling as if it was early morning and I had just woken up for the day. As the cloudiness of my delirium began to clear I gasped. NO! I couldn’t have missed the delivery of the promised Chick-Fil-A! But yes, much to my dismay, grabbing my phone, I had three missed phone calls from the school and one precious, disappointed little 3rd grade boy voicemail asking if I was coming. (Wishing I could insert a few sobbing emojis here!)

I’ll let you imagine how the next couple of hours played out in my heart and soul. Failure! Sadness! Tears! Regret! Victim! And definitely NOT the Mother of the Year!

Moms, regardless of your season or stage, you need rest. While my dear little story tugs at your heart strings and resonates with your passion of being a good mom, I’d like to encourage you.

Give yourself permission to fail, to be sad, have regrets and feel sorry for yourself, but don’t stay there. The brokenness of your world is probably most evident inside the four walls of your own home. Jesus came to give freedom to the captives of failure and regret. You are YOU and choosing to belong to HIM grants the greatest gift ever…GRACE. Grace is unmerited favor. Pause and listen here. You did nothing to earn or deserve anything. Nothing . Wear HIS robe of righteousness this Mother’s Day and model for those doodle bugs what freedom in Jesus looks like day by day, hour by hour.

Can I offer you a Mother’s Day gift to give to yourself?

Take some moments, as this season of another school year ends, to process through the following in your journal or on the back of a coloring sheet that may be laying around in your car. :) 

Because of Jesus, Yes, you are the Mother of the Year!

P.S. Thank you, Harris, for forgiving me and can we go to Chick-Fil-A to celebrate Mother's Day?

R E S T

Prayerfully posture yourself before the Father expressing to HIM your condition of weariness. Acknowledge that HE is the only source for replenishing your soul. Use these prompts for journaling your thoughts and emotions as you receive truths and encouragement from the ONE who waits on high to have compassion on you.

So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you His love and compassion. Isaiah 30:18 (NLT)

R

Recover from what has drained and depleted you.

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

• Make a list of what has depleted you or write a paragraph describing this season.
• Lay this before HIM in the form of a prayer.
• Thank the FATHER for His designs for your life during seasons of work and rest.

E

Ease into some time of simply receiving from God, not giving anything, just receiving.

Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10a

     ● Journal about some of the riches you have found in JESUS, nothing of yourself. What does grace mean to you in light of who God is?

     ● Pray in your state of neediness that HE will meet you as promised, no conditions, no  performance, no payback, only free gifts HE gives.

S

Silence your striving and see God’s hand in your life/work during this season.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

●  Express gratitude for what GOD has done.

●  Journal of a recent time that you have tangibly seen the faithfulness of GOD in your life in a supernatural way.

●  List answers to prayers from the last few weeks/months. Take some time to thank GOD in prayer for HIS ways in your life/work.

T

Tust in His provision in rebuilding, refreshing and recalibrating you.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. Matthew 11:29

●  Make a list of  where you feel needy and lacking moving forward.

● Find scripture that reminds you of who God is and how He promises to meet all of your needs. Write these in your journal.

● Thank the LORD for how HE promises to complete you.

Count it all joy, my brothers, hen you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:2-5