To the Weary Mom: It’s Worth It

“Summer, summer, summertime.  Time to sit back and unwind.” – Will Smith

Summer is here!  Those words fill you with anticipation or dread.  If you’re anything like me, you probably fall somewhere in between.  Summer usually finds me in evaluation mode. I ponder about all the things that worked and didn’t work this school year.  It’s a time to re-group by remembering what my mission as Mom is and what truly matters in light of that. Summer is also most definitely a time for me to recharge.  This summer finds me especially in need of refreshment.

Any other weary moms out there?

As a Mom to three teenagers, my kids can definitely push me to the brink of my sanity from time to time.  From “time to time” seems pretty daily lately. They also have the distinct ability to make me brave, and keep me grounded.  Seeing the world through their eyes is definitely a challenge. Sure, there are many times I don’t get it, and don’t even want to try to understand it if I’m completely honest.  But I’m thankful for the glimpses God gives me, and for the desire to even try to see their point of view from time to time. It’s a battle every day, but it’s worth the fight. Thankful we’re still smiling most of the time.

Photos Paint an Incomplete Picture

The confident, standing-tall, and smiling photos don’t always paint the entire picture.  They’re not supposed to. It doesn’t mean the smiles aren’t genuine. It actually heightens my appreciation for them when they’re here, because I know the difficulties we have to struggle through to get there at times.  I remember quite a few smiling photos that were preceded by days of less than stellar Momma moments on my behalf. Weary mom moments. Opportunities to encourage and build my kiddos up were instead used to tear them down. There was much crying, much discouragement, and generally feeling like I messed up big time in the motherhood department.

Does the brink of summer find you weary, tempted to give up, check out, and just let someone else “deal” with them?

Let’s fight to press in weary mommas. Our mission is far from over. Let’s commit to push through the awkward and uncomfortable.  If we look out for them, we’ll find opportunities to love, to cheer on, to encourage, and to teach. Our summers of refreshment can also be full of fresh intention, as we discover moments to admit how we blew it too and ask for forgiveness.  I know it’s hard. I know it seems impossible. Even through gritted teeth, and puffy eyes because you’ve been crying, it’s worth the fight.

Maybe a major crisis or life circumstance lately has brought you to the end of your rope.  Maybe you’ve just grown weary of dealing with that ONE issue in that ONE child for the umpteenth time today.  Or maybe it’s the MANY issues with ALL of the children EVERY.SINGLE.DAY for the past few months. Maybe things have been this way so long that you’ve forgotten when you weren’t so weary.

We Learn As We Go

Are we perfect moms?  Most definitely not. But should we be trying our best to be perfect moms?  Also no. Our mission today and every day is to be the best mom we know how to be.  Sure, we learn and grow as we go, but it’s all in God’s perfect timing and the provision is always there for OUR journey.  Don’t judge where you’re at based on where you see someone else. That adds a whole level of weariness we aren’t supposed to be carrying.  Your kiddos were knit together uniquely for you – don’t give them someone else.

Here are some things I am choosing to be thankful for in the midst of my weariness as I head into summer:

• Thankful that my feelings do not define or determine success.
• Thankful that I am not the woman I used to be, and yet in other ways, I am still and will continue to be the woman I have always been.  
• Thankful for being able to grow together as a family in our courage to do hard things.
• Thankful for kiddos that love me with a grace and compassion I learn from every day.
• Thankful for this mission of motherhood.

I am in it with you weary mommas!  Would love the privilege of praying for you – please leave a comment with your prayer request.  I don’t need to know the details, so “unspoken” works too.