Good mom?
Bad Mom?
Good Mom?
Bad Mom?
Do you ever feel as though you are the ping pong ball in a heated match bouncing from feeling like a good mom to a bad mom constantly.
One minute I have a great discussion where my child finally gets it... GOOD MOM!
The next I get an e-mail from a teacher that lists the three parents who have yet to turn in that permission slip and I am on the list for all the world to see... BAD MOM!
I calmly handle the stresses of the morning routine... GOOD MOM!
But then during the afternoon homework session, my child's irresponsibility over a last minute project just about sends me over the edge. I find my neck muscles tensing and my voice rising... BAD MOM!
I make sure they pack something healthy for lunch... GOOD MOM!
The schedule falls apart in the late after noon and I wind up feeding them sugar cereal for dinner... BAD MOM!
This past weekend, I loved reading everyone's comments. But to be honest, I found myself feeling the need to let you know that things are not always peachy and spiritually inspiring over here at the TerKeurst's.
Sometimes I feel like that ping pong ball mom bouncing from feeling good to bad to good to bad.
Yesterday morning I sat down at the kitchen table after getting everyone where they needed to be and cried. Yup, right there in the shadow of my flowers, big ol' tears flowed.
Sometimes having kids is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life. Other days I feel like the task of parenting little people is driving me to the brink of craziness.
Just the other day I was going through some chapters from my new book with Renee over the phone. Suddenly a strange theme seemed to arise. I just started laughing. I told Renee that too many chapters seemed to tell the same kind of story... I was on the verge of a breakdown and then I spent some time with Jesus and he made things better.
Renee quipped back to me, "Well, isn't that where most of us live?"
Not that we are on the edge of a breakdown, but we live in a place of utter dependence on God. I know as a mom, I live in constant need of His love, encouragement, wisdom, perspective, strength, patience, and grace.
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 and slap wearing myself out.
That's were Grace steps in. And I need lots of grace. God's grace steps in says, "Lysa, you are doing better than you think. Stop bouncing from feeling good to bad to good to bad. In the good times, rejoice and thank me. In the not so good times, call out to me quickly."
And suddenly it occurred to me, with God I'm never a bad mom. I might be having a bad moment... or two... or seventeen. But a few bad moments does not define me as a bad mom.
God's grace is there to cover me. Teach me. And even in the middle of a bad moment, interrupt me, redirect me, and change me.
Forgiveness is there.
Love is there.
A second chance for this minute... this interaction with my child... this temper that started to flare... is there.
Psalm 73: 26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
You are a good mom my friend...even if like me you've had a few bad moments... you are still a good mom. Let's live in that truth today.
Congrats to Runner Mom. She was the winner of my book "The Bathtub is Overflowing But I Feel Drained."
Bad Mom?
Good Mom?
Bad Mom?
Do you ever feel as though you are the ping pong ball in a heated match bouncing from feeling like a good mom to a bad mom constantly.
One minute I have a great discussion where my child finally gets it... GOOD MOM!
The next I get an e-mail from a teacher that lists the three parents who have yet to turn in that permission slip and I am on the list for all the world to see... BAD MOM!
I calmly handle the stresses of the morning routine... GOOD MOM!
But then during the afternoon homework session, my child's irresponsibility over a last minute project just about sends me over the edge. I find my neck muscles tensing and my voice rising... BAD MOM!
I make sure they pack something healthy for lunch... GOOD MOM!
The schedule falls apart in the late after noon and I wind up feeding them sugar cereal for dinner... BAD MOM!
This past weekend, I loved reading everyone's comments. But to be honest, I found myself feeling the need to let you know that things are not always peachy and spiritually inspiring over here at the TerKeurst's.
Sometimes I feel like that ping pong ball mom bouncing from feeling good to bad to good to bad.
Yesterday morning I sat down at the kitchen table after getting everyone where they needed to be and cried. Yup, right there in the shadow of my flowers, big ol' tears flowed.
Sometimes having kids is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life. Other days I feel like the task of parenting little people is driving me to the brink of craziness.
Just the other day I was going through some chapters from my new book with Renee over the phone. Suddenly a strange theme seemed to arise. I just started laughing. I told Renee that too many chapters seemed to tell the same kind of story... I was on the verge of a breakdown and then I spent some time with Jesus and he made things better.
Renee quipped back to me, "Well, isn't that where most of us live?"
Not that we are on the edge of a breakdown, but we live in a place of utter dependence on God. I know as a mom, I live in constant need of His love, encouragement, wisdom, perspective, strength, patience, and grace.
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 and slap wearing myself out.
That's were Grace steps in. And I need lots of grace. God's grace steps in says, "Lysa, you are doing better than you think. Stop bouncing from feeling good to bad to good to bad. In the good times, rejoice and thank me. In the not so good times, call out to me quickly."
And suddenly it occurred to me, with God I'm never a bad mom. I might be having a bad moment... or two... or seventeen. But a few bad moments does not define me as a bad mom.
God's grace is there to cover me. Teach me. And even in the middle of a bad moment, interrupt me, redirect me, and change me.
Forgiveness is there.
Love is there.
A second chance for this minute... this interaction with my child... this temper that started to flare... is there.
Psalm 73: 26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
You are a good mom my friend...even if like me you've had a few bad moments... you are still a good mom. Let's live in that truth today.
Congrats to Runner Mom. She was the winner of my book "The Bathtub is Overflowing But I Feel Drained."
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