Do You Ever Feel a Mom's Fight Out?

    (2014 Repost) It’s 11:40 p.m. I just came home into a quiet house with everyone asleep. The beautifully dim light accentuates my favorite aspects of this house. But after ten seconds my mind went back to reality as I walked from the garage to the bedroom. I had thoughts race through my mothering mind within a matter of minutes, “What is that foul smell? Whew. Yuck. It can wait til morning…Did the kids and Scotty really need all those dishes tonight, especially when I ordered pizza? Oh, there are my Haiti sponsor letters that I have never mailed. I need to do that.  And I forgot to get medicine picked up. Bummer. She is totally out. Well, what’s one day with a kid with no meds? Wait, I should go first thing and get it. Should I go kiss and check on all the children? Better not, they may stir and need me. Not worth it. Who’s underwear is in the middle of the foyer and why? I am hungry, but not sure why since I had a salad and an entrée then frozen custard. Maybe I should ignore the hunger.Should I wash my face? I am too tired but I know I need to…and floss...and shower…and wash my hair…and shave. Ugh. I can’t do all that. So, I will just get my makeup off then maybe brush my teeth after I go eat some cereal. I need to read the papers the school sent home. And is tomorrow the last day for teacher appreciation?! I need to write thank you notes! How am I going to do that plus pack for our weekend trip and go to Wal-mart and take a shower…and make my bed…and read my Bible…and parent the kids, and answer Facebook messages…and bring the trash can in…and take all my vitamins…and clean the foul smell coming from the mound of dishes…and redo the load of laundry in the dryer that is now wrinkled and ruined from setting...and put gas in the car and, of course, exercise then all the other things that come in a day that I have to leave by 2:00 p.m.? And where did I put my wedding ring when I took it off? Ugh. Breathe. This is not the time for a panic attack.” This was all while my fabulous five were sleeping. Imagine what it can be like when they all wake up, and even more so, when I give birth to my 6^th one here in a matter of weeks. Being a mother takes a lot. 

     Trust me, I LOVE motherhood. I have embraced motherhood. God has miraculously turned this “worst babysitter ever” that “didn’t like her first child” into a redeemed mama soul that is thrilled to be obedient in raising the people God has given her. They are precious and priceless. They are worth every minute of selfless living. It’s just that all the logistics that come with mothering can sometimes get in the way of my heart. I have to have a mom’s fight out mentally and emotionally to feel what I know to be the true core of who I am as a mother.

My mom and I out to the movies tonight!

     And I know there are others like me out there feeling this same way. In fact, tonight, I saw the new witty comedy Moms’ Night Out movie. It. Was. Awesome. My mom and I sat through the whole thing either laughing, crying, or saying, “That is sooooo how it is!” The movie completely revealed the same mental, emotional, and even spiritual battles that we plunge through on a daily basis in our mom-fight. For me, seeing a highly-produced movie about moms and their challenges on the big screen made me want to stand and yell out, “I LOVE THIS! I LIVE THIS!” while wondering if the person who wrote the script can be my new best friend.  I recommend the movie to anyone who is a mother or who has a mother because it humorously reveals the deep-rooted concerns in the chaos.    

     Being a mother is hard. It’s a fight. And yet, I believe it’s a fight we can win with the Lord’s help. Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t rely on your own ability. Stop trying to be strong enough. The house will always need work. The paper stack will always grow. The children will always need something. Choose to hand it over to the Lord in your heart and how you think. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13. Discontent? The grass is just as itchy on the other side. Escaping will only mask the core issue for a season. Take time to learn what Paul did in Phil. 4:11 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” He didn’t have it naturally but learned it. Contentment will come when we are living in obedience. If we are right with God then we can rest instead of wondering if we should be somewhere else doing something else. If He wanted us to make a change, we would know.  Insecure? We know that Satan loves to lie. He loves to tell us we aren’t good enough and can’t do what we need to do. Only believe what the Lord says about you. He says, “I give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29. If God made the child then He will strengthen to parent the child as well. Guilty? All of us have things we regret as mamas but not forgiving ourselves and re-playing our mistakes keeps us in bondage. But Christ said, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9. Be free! Ask for forgiveness, do what you can to make it right then move on! If not, then you are saying God’s forgiveness isn’t enough so you still have to carry it. Mentally overloaded? “God will keep you in perfect peace when your mind stays on Him, because you trust Him.” Isaiah 26:3 Relax. God has the world under control. Take a deep breath. Rest in Him. Whether it is a sick child, a stray-hearted child, family changes, financial burdens, or marriage issues, we may have to walk through the hardship, but the Lord gives us peace as we trust Him to bring us through with His wisdom.

     No matter what the mom-fight is for you, you can win. We win with the power and help of the Lord. We aren’t alone in this journey! There are millions of us doing all we can to mother and God will help every single one us. Now, I can let all my late-night mom’s fight out thoughts go, and just rest in a the fond memories of the Moms’ Night Out movie. Much love and prayers to all my mothering friends...and go see the movie!
www.momsnightoutmovie.com