Your “Get out of jail free” Card

June 25, 2012 | Posted in faith, God-centered, mothering | 13 comments

Friday evening I had another crazy-lady meltdown, listing the following failures…

failing at taking care of our home
failing at helping our boys get along
failing at loving them well
failing at teaching respect/obedience
failing…failing…failing

I looked at my husband. Knowing he was just as sick as I was hearing this familiar rant. I asked him to tell me everything he thought I’m doing wrong as a mom. I told him I REALLY wanted to know. Because, in my mind, I assumed he was thinking all these things and just not telling me. So I’d rather he told me everything he was frustrated about and I could just start working harder on those things (I told you…”crazy lady rant”!).

He said, “Why should I tell you? You aren’t going to believe me?”

I promised him I could handle it. I’d believe him.

He simply responded, “First you tell me 10 things you do well.”

I stared at him blankly. I couldn’t. I couldn’t come up with even one good thing.

He says, “That’s what I think is wrong. You are too hard on yourself. You are a wonderful mom. You work soooo hard to get it right.”

(at this point I was in tears, mind you)

“Heather, NO ONE has it right. No matter what you read or what you think. There isn’t some magical formula out there. You aren’t going to ever get it right. So just relax. Chill out.”

Chill out.

I bluntly replied, “I don’t know how. I don’t know how not to care. Not to try. Not to expect to pursue doing everything the best way possible. I don’t know how to be okay with ‘okay’.”

Do you struggle with thinking one day you will have this parenting thing all figured out? Assuming you will finally learn the secret to keeping your home in exquisite order, while engaging your children in educational activities, training them to love & respect others, and enjoy the entire process?

If you are the type of woman who totally understands exactly what I just described, I want to give you a “get out of jail free” card. Because those expectations of perfection have imprisoned me and you.

Every day that I assume perfection in each area of my life is attainable, I am believing a lie. I’m trapped in an unattainable goal. I’m locked in a cell of my own creation. Frustrated. Desiring what everyone else has.

For today, take the “get out of jail free” card. Attempt to “chill out” with me. Instead of trying to do & be what you think every other mom is able to do and be, just rest in being the mom God created you to be. For today.

While reading “Practicing the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence, I thought of being a God-centered mom. Brother Lawrence discovered joy in the mundane by focusing on enjoying God’s presence. It was him and God. Just him and God.

When my mind starts to create that jail cell and think of all the things I “should” be doing if I was a good mom and picturing other moms doing it perfectly, I want to stop myself. Instead I want to picture just me & God. Just be in His presence. Realize being fully present with God is all that matters.

In His presence is fullness of joy. In His presence I am free to love my children with His love. In His presence what other’s think of me does not matter. In His presence I am perfect and free just as He intended me to be. Free.

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

As part of your “freedom” today, I give you full permission to sit on the couch with your kiddos (if they are over 2 years old) and watch the movie “Cars”. To take away any “mommy guilt”…here is a discussion guide I wrote over at The MOB Society: “Cars” Discussion Guide (pride & humility of Lightning McQueen).

***note: after writing this post, we were at a pool and my 4-year-old son was playing on a railing. He fell on to the concrete hitting the back of his head. My husband took him to our new favorite emergency room, Highland Park ER, and checked him out. Seeing a picture of my son in a CT Scanner will shake you and bring you to your knees.

Fortunately the scan was normal. He was diagnosed with a concussion. He is hopefully going to be fine. In this moment, perfection seems so unimportant. Life. Being fully present in life and kisses those sweet babies. That’s all that matters to me tonight.

13 comments

reply → seanandlaura June 25, 2012 at 07:52

Oh the crazy lady rant, I’m intimately familiar, and it’s such a relief to hear others do it too. I’m praying his concussion resolves quickly and that you enjoy Cars. Thanks heather. You connect so well.
- reply → GodCenteredMom June 25, 2012 at 23:34
  
  Thank you fellow crazy lady. Appreciate your encouragement always. Fortunately the little guy was sweeter than ever today…think I’m supposed to be looking for a “change in personality”…but what if I like this change?
reply → Emily June 25, 2012 at 14:13

Your words blessed me again today. It is so good to know I am not alone in the “crazy mom rants”…and the wake up call trips to the ER! May we learn to receive His grace in the moments, over and over again.
- reply → GodCenteredMom June 25, 2012 at 23:35
  
  Love that, “His grace in the moments”. Thanks for the encouragement!
reply → Kelli June 25, 2012 at 17:43

You have no idea how much your words have encouraged me right where I am at today! Thank you for the invitation to “chill out” with you!
- reply → GodCenteredMom June 25, 2012 at 23:35
  
  So thankful the Holy Spirit could speak to you through the work in my own heart. Hope tomorrow is also a chill out day!
reply → Colleen June 27, 2012 at 16:29

I am quite familiar with the Crazy Lady Rant myself! Mothering is a very difficult job, and it is impossible to be at peace with what we do as moms without God’s grace. Thank you for your honesty and encouragement!
reply → Janel July 2, 2012 at 15:09

Good stuff, Heather.
- reply → GodCenteredMom July 7, 2012 at 15:38
  
  thanks friend! still need our phone call!
reply → lwerezak July 14, 2012 at 09:35

Hi Heather, your mom was my teacher years ago, and when I posted on FB last night about my own Mommy rant (post-moving, no less) she sent me here. Thanks for writing so honestly and for pointing me back to my real Home. I’m so glad for grace today!
- reply → GodCenteredMom July 14, 2012 at 10:41
  
  Hey Laura! So glad God could speak to you through my own struggle. We need each other to keep fighting the good fight and to never surrender! His mercies are new every. single. morning. (and hour .