There’s this thing moms talk about. It’s this thing with coffee.
First of all, we drink a lot of it. Second, we only get two steaming sips in before it is either spilled or left neglected on a countertop, dresser, or fireplace mantel. This is because of the children. These brutal little treasures who bombed our lives with their holy preciousness while simultaneously stealing from us the privilege of being idle. These beings. They’re so achy-wonderful. Any mother will tell you, she’s drowning in the sweetness of her children. Because motherhood is equal parts joy and wear-out. And if you’re anything like me, you’re way too hard on yourself about all of it. About being a mother. About trauma. Sleep. Refined carbs. Breastfeeding. Weaning. Work-life balance. Connection. High-fructose corn syrup. Language development. Boundaries. Screentime. Freeplay. Problem solving. Social skills. Vegetables. Quality family time. Nature. Exercise. Safety. Chores. Antibiotics. Compassion. Community. Water. Pedophiles. Healthy self-image. Sports. Art. Tantrums. Travel. Music. Fine motor skills. Homework. Waldorf. Sharing.
Are you exhausted yet?
I’d tell any other mom that she shouldn’t carry this list on her shoulders like a Crossfitter mounts those awful-looking weights. She should let things go. She’s doing great. Thumbs-up emoji to you mama. Sit them in front of the TV sometimes and hand them a popsicle. It’s going to be fine. But I still struggle with my own over-functioning tendencies paired with perfectionism, generalized anxiety, and a boring, old-fashioned desire to do a really good job. Also, I love my kids so freaking much I can barely breathe.
So,
The question I will strive to answer is what does my faith have to do with it?
I mean what the WWJD? What would God say? And I don’t mean “what would God say” like I can hear him in the wind Pocahontas style. That’s not my spiritual gift. But the bible has a lot to say about life circumstances so what does it say to the modern millennial mom who is excruciatingly hard on herself? That is what I will explore through this wee writing space on the interwebs.
I don’t claim to have oodles of guidance or wisdom for an audience if one emerges. Just empathy. So much empathy guys. But maybe empathy is a sort of guidance. A guide to self-compassion. To self-acceptance. To peace despite…And perhaps THAT is the ultimate wisdom – especially for moms. Perhaps, we can learn a thousand things from God and each other to make it all better. In fact, I know we can.
Hi I’m Jordan, welcome!