So this one, this one blog right here is for the moms.
That’s right the MOM'S.
I don’t know about you, but I regularly have THOSE moments.
You know those moments that I like to call,
Those, sitting at the dining room table, arms wrapped around
the legs that are folded and pressed up against the chest, head down resting on
the knees, moment. I mean, I LOVE being a mom, best job, if you want to call it
that, EVER!! But there are day’s like yesterday, HA, that I find myself in the
“FREAK OUT” moment asking myself, “And to think I am considering the idea of
possible having another one in the future”. What am I thinking? I can barely
keep it together; I mean I am already going crazy.” Then I begin to tell me
husband, who is not home yet, how the day has just gone from great to me being
in the fetal position. He proceeds to tell me how excited he is, not really, to
come home to a crying baby and a whining and complaining 6 year old who truly
thinks the world should revolve around him. And all I can reply with is, “Welcome, WELCOME
to my life…. At least you get the last hour of it and not the full 5 hours of
the drama.” And then once my children are asleep, I somehow find myself thinking,
“Was it really worth me getting so upset. I mean look at those cute faces. They
are adorable. They are learning, and how I react now very well be learned by
them on how to react later. And quiet honestly I don’t want my daughter or son
to learn the fetal positions, and also, I am not sure we were designed to feel
the need to be in such a position.” Now I am getting ready for bed and I begin
to think how I gave my all to my reaction therefore I had nothing left to give
to my husband….
I mean ladies, are you following me here? Am I the ONLY
crazy mom here? Now, dare I ask the ultimate question…
IS IT WORTH THE BATTLE?
I have a friend who in the fall last year moved to Japan
with her husband and 4, YES 4, kids. I was asking her expert advice on how to
get Emmalyn back to sleeping all night in her crib, rather than sleeping 2 or
so hours in her crib and then moving to mine and Kevin’s bed. Well, her answer
was not at all what I was looking for, but it did put something’s in
perspective for me. In Japan the family sleeps together!!! TOGETHER! She said
her boy’s sleep in a loft in their own room and her, her husband, and 2 girls
who are 3 and under the age of 1 are in one room on the same bed!!! And ALL
American women cried NO!!! She began to tell me that it has become a joy for
her and her husband to have the girls in their room. It gives them one on one
time with just them. And I thought, ‘WHAT? You’re not pulling your hair out? Or
your husband isn’t like get that kid out of my bed I need wifely time?” You
guys they have been doing this for 6-7 months now and she says, ‘it’s such a
sweet time for their family.’ REALLY!!
I found myself pondering about this for a few days and I
began to think your right. As American’s we stress out and throw up our built in stress from things that have not gone the way
we want it to go so we have those ‘FREAK OUT” moments. Now don’t get me wrong,
there are many other things that add to us having ‘FREAK OUT’ moments, but for
me most of it is my kids, and honestly, it is just not worth it!!
James 3:17- But the wisdom that comes from God is first of all pure,
then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help
those who are troubled and to do good for others. It is always fair and honest.
I don’t know about you, but the moments leading up to and
during my so called ‘FREAK OUT’ moment I am not at all James 3:17. And yet
again I am faced with the question do I want my kids to learn and inherit my
little, not so little moment, or do I want them to learn James 3:17?
A very wise mom told me once, ‘Enjoy your child at the age
they are at, because they will never be that age again. Time goes to fast to
get upset and focus on the should and woulds.” I cannot begin to tell you how
true this has become over the past few days as I look at my ‘FREAK OUT’
moments.
Many of you, who are reading this, work some sort of way in
the church… Sunday school teacher, nursery helper, small group leader, help
with events, participate in leading worship, etc. So, you may be asking yourself,
‘I am a mom who can’t even keep it together with my own kids, how am I expected
to do so in such and such ministry.’ Well let me lead you to the very verse
that God revealed to me this morning.
Ephesians 6:10-18- Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his great
power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil’s
evil tricks. Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers
and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness, against the spiritual
powers of evil in the heavenly world. That is why you need to put on God’s full
armor. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you
have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing. So stand strong,
with the belt of truth tied around your waist and the protection of right living
on your chest. On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand
strong. And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning
arrows of the Evil One. Accept God’s
salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God. Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for
everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up.
Always pray for all God’s people.
Did you happen to notice verses 11-12, ‘our fight is not
against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers
of this world’s darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil’. Um… WOW!! So, while
I have been having those ‘FREAK OUT’ moments I have not only been disobeying James
3:17 but I have fallen into the ‘tricks’ of the evil one. Nice one devil, nice
one.
So, how do we fight off the evil one? Look at verses 14-18.
We are going to put on our belt, wear the Good News on our feet, pick up our
shield of faith, put on our helmet, pick up the sword and we are going to pray!
I want to point out two things hear. First, verses 17-18, ‘and take the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times with
all kinds of prayers’. Did you notice Spirit was used twice here. Spirit is the
word of God and we are to pray in the Spirit. So, ladies, mom lets pray the
word of God over our moments, over our daily life and over our kids. Secondly, verse
18, ‘Always pray for God’s people’. Let’s pray for one another!
So ladies, moms, lets put on our armor, lets pray James 3:17 over ourselves and each other and lets
remember who the real enemy is here. I don't know about you but I am so ready to live a 'FREAK OUT' moment FREE life!
P.S. We finally did get Emmalyn to sleep in her crib again... and there was victory had my mom and dad :)
