Happy Friday, Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)
Last Sunday was Mother's Day...the day we celebrate the incredible women who so selflessly sacrifice for others and are the embodiment of unconditional love! Facebook and Twitter were flooded with messages from children - young and old - profusely thanking their Moms and showering them with the love. And something real struck me; while the Dads and kids are proclaiming that their Mom is the "Best Mom in the World" or the "Best Mom Ever", when Moms wrote messages, more often than not, they included something like, "I am not perfect..." This really bothered me and I have spent a lot of time in thought and prayer about it this week.
While Moms are not perfect - none of us are! - I would argue that they are as close to perfection as anyone since Jesus! My Bible tells me to love without condition; Moms do this perfectly! My Bible tells me that the greatest among us serve others; Moms do this perfectly! My Bible, and the world, tells me that greatness is found in sacrificing for others; Moms do this perfectly! Moms, you are losing the argument here! I don't, however, want to argue with you...I know how that will turn out! Y'all are pretty good at that one too! :) No, my heart this morning is to simply encourage you...
I don't have much experience at being a Mom however I have spent a lot of time thinking about and praying for you all this week. I have a thought for you that was revealed to me during one of my talks with God about you this week:
Your kids don't love you because you are perfect, they love you because you love them despite their imperfections.
I did some research and I want to share a couple of things that I hope speak to your hearts and help you as you continue to walk your blessed journey. First I want to share excerpts from an article titled 3 Things To Remember If You're An Imperfect Mom which was written by Jessica Kastner on November 5, 2020. You can read the full blog at thehumbledhomemaker.com.
1. Focus on what makes you great.
"It's all about the memories and quality time we spend with our kids. Of course we should always be praying to improve, but by focusing on our strengths and celebrating how we rock it as a mom is key."
2. Nothing will ever be perfect if kids are involved. Period. And the sooner we accept it, the better!
"When we learn to live in the moment and not get hung up on the guaranteed wrenches thrown into our day, we become much more joyful, relaxed moms."
3. Find your own mother style.
"I don't believe there's this magic, one-size-fits-all way to mother. The longer you're a mom, the more you learn to craft your own style and approach parenthood in a way that suits your personality, and your kids' needs."
"It's less than ideal at times, but allowing ourselves to approach every part of motherhood, with a blank canvas, really thinking about why and how we do things, can be very freeing, and much more conducive to joy."
I also want to share some excerpts from 7 Reasons to Stop Trying to Be a Perfect Mom. It was written by Jennifer Houston on May 4, 2014. You can find the full article at womanitely.com.
1. Children will strive for perfection.
"When you are trying to do everything perfect and you are obsessed with being perfect, your children will strive for perfection too."
"Don't dwell on past failures and mistakes. When you make a mistake, there's actually a lesson for you to learn. Learning from mistakes helps your children develop and grow and you should realize it now when they are small."
2. Do your best
"Parents set examples for kids, so stop trying to be a perfect mom, instead focus on being the best mother you can be and allow yourself room for some imperfections. Your children will do their best and will know that it's okay to make mistakes every now and then."
3. The perfect Mom doesn't exist
"Nobody is perfect and the perfect mom doesn't exist. When you're trying to be a perfect mother, you're aiming for something that is impossible."
"It's wonderful to be a mother, so don't waste your time attempting to make everything perfect."
4. You're stressing your family out
"Striving for perfection is a hollow goal that can never be reached. When one family member strives for perfection, the whole family suffers. It leads to misunderstandings and can even cause lots of fights."
5. You're stressing yourself out
"You should always keep in mind that perfection makes people miserable. Do your best, be happy and be confident in being the mom that you are. Learn from your mistakes and move on."
6. You can become unbalanced
"If you're focused on one area of life, you can become unbalanced and it's a bad thing. While being a mom is an important position and one of your top priorities, it's bad to focus only on it."
7. Make progress
"Instead of trying to be a perfect mom, try to make progress in all areas of motherhood. Again, mistakes are good and you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Realize that you are a wonderful mother and wife. You don't have to be an ideal mother. Your children love you for who you are, remember it."
Finally, I want to share a quote by Rachel Marie Martin titled, The Brave Art of Motherhood:
Live Bravely.
Bravery doesn't mean you are perfect.
It means you try.
It means you show up.
It means you love.
It means you care.
It means you give.
It means you hope.
Live with courage.
Bravery is imperfectly perfect.
You are brave.
Moms, you are truly amazing! Your position is ordered and ordained by God! You are more than enough, you are everything! You are the one who was chosen to be the Mom for your precious child(ren)! I pray that you will see today, the beauty that we all see in YOU!
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well! :)
Kev
No comments:
Post a Comment