Last Updated on October 11, 2018
I am so weary, so tired, frustrated, overwhelmed, stressed out, put out, worn out – I can’t take this anymore!
How many times a week have I uttered those thoughts? You know what I mean, how often do I wear that attitude? What effect does that attitude have on my children?
I am convinced that my daily life with my children teaches them how to react to their world. They model behavior they learn from me, from you. So, if my child mopes, pouts or lashes out I need to sober up and realize they just may have learned to lash out from me. Ouch!
One of the problems we moms have is that we try to do mothering under our own power and as a result we make the mistake of concentrating on the micro instead of the macro.
Yes, you’ve wiped down the kitchen counter for the seventh time while asking your daughter to play nice with her little brother and share (with a kind word) for the seventeenth time and there’s so much left to be done – still.
But, what have you really done that you are not always quick to recognize? You have taught your children hour after hour how to react to life.
How to care for others, how to work hard and do what needs to get done, how to get along well with others – all good things that will serve them well. Don’t lose sight of the vast importance of how you wear each micro task in the macro of God’s plan.
When the weary sets in and joy is hard to find you have to be intentional about seeking it out.
Talk to God…constantly – the good and the bad, He already knows, but to openly go to Him with it loosens the ties that bind and helps those words up there in that first sentence to dissipate. They lose their grip.
Count your blessings…you have so much to be grateful for, that which is easily seen all around, but also that which is known deep within. Name them.
Laugh, out loud…silly – kids love silly, moms dancing in the kitchen again silly, moms singing a made up song silly, mom declared p.j. day silly. Silly is contagious and habit forming.
Lay those strangling thoughts and emotions at the cross…and leave them there.
All moms share the reality of tough twenty-four hour a day frustrations and aggravations, but you were never meant to wear those…getting rid of them is the secret to survival, that’s how you overcome and actually embrace and find joy, as you Be The Mom.
And really, isn’t joy what we want to teach our children to wear?
Tracey Eyster is the Founder of MomLife Today and the annual Mom Camp event. Her book Be The Mom, LifeWay Bible Study Beautiful Mess and speaking engagements have allowed her the privilege of speaking into the lives of women sharing what God is teaching her. “Be intentional. Be relational. Be selfless.” In a nutshell, that’s her life and message. Tracey has been a mom since 1993 and she and Bill have been married for over 30 years.
Well, God used you today to speak to and encourage me today. My husband and I had this very conversation last night. We are just so tired of yelling and screaming day after day…but mostly we’re tired of our three year old yelling and screaming at us, too. Last night as we closed down our evening, ready for a few short hours of sleep, we decided that we had to be better examples. That yes, we get angry and frustrated and exhausted, but we have to deal with it differently so that in that in the long run, our son will respond differently, too. Otherwise, if we keep this up, it will never end, and when he gets older, anger and yelling will be his response to everything, including us! We prayed about it last night, asking God to guard our mouths today in those “trying” moments when we just want to scream. We were tested bright and early this morning, but like you said in your post, we just need to talk to God constantly.
Thank you so much for this post today…at the very right time! I love when God does stuff like this!
God bless you and your little ones!
LOL! See, you can tell I’m tired, too…that comment is LOADED with typos! 🙂
Hey Tristine – Thank you for sharing God’s wondrous workings in your life around this truth! What a great model you have given to the rest of us, recognize and issue, discuss with hubby, pray and make a postiive change! YOU GET IT!!!! Living life full of joy really is a choice – I am happy you are gonna work at that choice! You CAN do it!!! Just prayed for your family! Blessings to you, Tracey :0)
Tracey,
All I can say is wow and ouch! Thank you! I may print that out and hang it up somewhere.
Hey Heather – blessed to know my words spoke to your heart! Blessings to you – and YOU CAN DO THIS MOM THING!!!
Thank you for this reminder. I needed it! Sometimes I have to cringe when I think about the selfish ways I am prone to responding to my kids when I’m tired, tested, and just plain frustrated. But thank God that He is always willing to forgive and so are my kids!
Stephanie
Hey Stephanie – Amen and I concur! Children are like little sponges, soaking up all day long…modeling trial and error, repentance and restoration is a beautiful window into who God is! Keep it up mom! Big woo hoo to you, a hug and many blessings! Tracey
I so needed this today! After the day I had yesterday, this is exactly what I needed to hear. I sometimes need to just break down and join in the craziness of the house that the kids bring! Thanks so much for your thoughtful words!
I am blessed that you took the time to post a comment and let me know God used my words to encourage you…and help you embrace His grace and the kids crazy!!! Crazy silly can be a tool! :0) hugs!
One thing I believe as parents is that we can’t quit. Yet how many times have i wanted to quit. Hundreds. Which is why I can’t imagine parenting without the Lord’s renewal…a place to go to get recharged when I utterly want to quit! He’s never failed to rejuvenate me, give me new perspective, and fill me up with His Spirit to go on with renewed vision. I couldn’t parent without supernatural help!!!!!!!!! It’s the best and the hardest job in the world. 20 years now, He has changed me so much, for the good, through parenting. Grown me and grown my girls. I love that He parents them too, thank GOD! Thanks for a great article.
I need to do this! I tend to turn to God when I’m at the end of my rope and when I do I’m so much in my flesh that I don’t feel better. I want to be the fun mom but I’m so serious by nature, it’s tough 🙁 I often tell myself she’s acting the way she does because you act that way o he
I love my phone lol…to her. I need to model the love and respect I’m expecting