I know why parenting can be so difficult!
What is the difference in days that go well and days that go, oh, so wrong?
It is the difference in my expectations!
For some reason we get in our minds that parenting should look a certain way. When it doesn't fit within those boundaries we lose our cool. We either blame the kids or feel like complete failures.
Just watch a few home videos and you will see that our expectations of our children are way off. We think they should perform the same way every day. Where did we get that? They are way too complex to perform like robots. One clip of them trying to perform a song or re-enact an event and you realize they are incapable of repeat. LOL
But for some reason I want that from time to time. I want them to perform certain task the same way, everyday! If they did that we wouldn't have such entertaining home videos!
We need to learn to flex more, adjust on a dime, and laugh through more issues! I know that is easier said than done. We have an agenda, a time frame, and a task to complete. Changing mid stream doesn't fit into 'my' schedule very well. Nor do 8 kids! I get 1 maybe 2 accomplishing 'my'schedule but the other 6 have gone rogue!
I forget that God is the author of time, not ME!
How many opportunities do I miss with my children to share God's love for them, show them my love, or to just enjoy life with them. Or to help them love on others? I get caught up in routine and let routine decide whether it was a good day or a horrible day.
Is laundry really that important? Is having a clean kitchen the determining factor in whether I find delight in my children? We have a world that distracts us from the relationships God so desires us to have.
Today, look for moments to LIVE in the moment.
Tomorrow, find the other moments God meant for you to have.
The next day, remember there will never be 2 days that look alike.
Next year, rejoice that you didn't get caught up in routine and learned to enjoy the moments you have been given.
In 10 years, rejoice that you might have not had the cleanest house on the street but you remember some very special times of enjoying your kids in the chaos!
I want to remember more days of laughter than day after day of tears. I want my kids to remember that too. How will they remember me as?
A mom loving life or a mom at her witts end?
No comments:
Post a Comment