‘Atta Girl

Take February, add cold, add homebound children, subtract sunlight, subtract social outlets, stir it all up and what do you get?

Moms living on the edge.

We’re cold, tired, overworked, under socialized, and downright cranky.  We go through the motions every day and try to keep it together, but something is missing–our spark, our lightness, our motivation?  We’re missing that good feeling we get when we are taking on the world and conquering it well; when we are out and about and interacting with our families and others and succeeding.  

Over the weekend, I had the off chance to play laser tag as an adult supervisor for my son’s birthday.  I loved it.  We ran around for a half hour tagging bases and each other, high-fiving and having fun.  It was awesome.  Thinking back on it, I know why I loved it so much.  My little computer vest gave me positive feedback every time I did something good.  Tag the other team–“Nice tag!”  Shoot the base–“Great job”.  Leaving the arena, I felt so affirmed.  If only I had that kind of feedback in my daily life…

So here I am on this February morning to tell you you’re doing a great job.

You are taking care of your families; you’re doing endless daily chores and laundry; you are grocery shopping and making breakfast, lunch, and dinner and preparing a million snacks and sippy cups; you are wiping noses and butts and then sanitizing your house to keep people healthy.  And then when they’re sick, you’re wiping vomit and giving meds they don’t like and doing more laundry (because you didn’t have enough before).  In some cases you are going to work on top of this or perhaps, schooling your children at home, which adds even more to your already full plate.  You are quelling sighs and tears and overwhelming energy.  You are shuttling children to activities and then picking them up and asking questions and investing in them, hoping they know how much you love them.  Because you do.  You totally and completely and utterly love them and want what’s best for them.  You love them so much that you’d sacrifice a life lived for yourself so that you can help them learn to live well, for God and for others.

You are doing a lot and you have awesome intentions.  You might not always get it right.  You might lose your temper occasionally (or a few more times ;), but you mean so well.  You keep it together so that you can be a good role model to your children.  You worry a lot because this kid is not getting it together and this one whined and had tantrums in public places.  You worry that they might not have a future, but then you pray and love and pray again because sometimes you can’t rely on your own strength to get through.  You have a God on your side who loves you too and he is saying “Well done, faithful servant” as you muck through life and attempt to point your children heavenward.

As a mom, the day doesn’t end at bedtime.  You have to continue to muscle through so that the house is ready to go in the morning, your husband is a happy man, and you find some time for personal fulfillment.  But that’s only if you don’t pass out on the couch beforehand and sleep through until your husband rustles your shoulder and tells you its time to go to bed, in your clothes, without brushing your teeth.  So you go and sleep and awake to begin the journey again.

It’s hard, no doubt, but you’re handling it.  You’re doing it.  You’re rocking it.

Because that’s what moms do.  Even in February.

Keep up the good work, faithful servants.  We can do this.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”  Philippians 3:14