For my pals in Ohio (and lots of other parts of the world), I'm a little late to the party. Here in good ole Michigan, we stretch out summer as long as we can. But today begins the first day of school (cue sinister-sounding music). I, along with most other mamas I know, am anticipating a great new school year. THIS year I will make a wonderful breakfast every morning, nutritious lunches, and dinners equal to the Brady's. My children will skip down the stairs each morning ready to begin a new day and eager to learn. My house will shine and sparkle with cleanliness (due, in part, to these new chore charts I have created), and everyone will be smiling and laughing all day long. My home shall run like a well oiled machine. Yep. Grab me a dress, some heels, an apron and call me June Cleaver. Maybe my other mama friends out there have similar expectations? Anyone????
In reality, my mama friends, we know that in a week or two our great expectations will more than likely be flushed down the toilet. You know... that toilet that has NOT been cleaned (in spite of the new chore chart). So when those days come I say to you this:
For my homeschooling mamas: You CAN do this. On those days when you can't explain how to find a common denominator (so you can FINALLY add these two fractions you've been talking about for an hour) one. more. time...take a deep breath in, Mama. When you look at the clock and realize school took up your whole day; everyone's gonna have to eat Lucky Charms for dinner (hey, they put vitamins and minerals in that stuff. It's practically a health food), and you feel like you've failed your domestic duties...take a deep breath in, Mama. For those days when... for the love of ALL THINGS! WHERE is a pencil and WHAT happened to the fifty notebooks I bought two weeks ago?!!... take a deep breath in, Mama. When you worry that you aren't teaching enough, aren't doing enough, or that YOU are just not enough... take a big, long, deeeeeep breath, Mama. Breathe deep and remember this is only a season-a quick season. In the grand scheme of life, we have only a short time to be with these young humans. Breathe in and remember those days cuddling on the couch with a favorite book together, making a cake volcano, or the first time you realized your child could read-they could REALLY READ-and you were able to be there, teaching them, every step of the way. Breathe in and embrace the repetition of teaching your child the same concept over and over until it finally sinks in, and you get the privilege of seeing that light bulb go off and shine brightly. Breathe out and remember that you're imperfections, do not mean you're a bad mama, they just mean you're a human mama. Give and receive grace. You CAN do this. You can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength.
For my school away from home mamas: You CAN do this. On those days when you're sending your children out the door for school with a bag of chips for breakfast, because you just simply ran out of time (HEY, it's hard to make a full course meal before the sun even bothers to wake up)... take a deep breath, Mama. When you notice your child climbing onto the bus wearing a short sleeved shirt with NO coat in sight, and the high for the day is going to hit a balmy 40 degrees... take a deep breath, Mama. When you're sitting in that horrible pick-your-kid-up-from-school- line, and you are on the verge of saying EVERY. bad. word. you've ever heard, because really? WHERE did these parents learn how to drive??!!! take a deep breath, Mama. When you are scrambling to get that last kid out the door and for the love of ALL THINGS! WHERE are two clean socks that match (although at this point dirty socks will work too)... take a big, long, deeeeeep breath, Mama. Breathe deep and remember this is only a season-a quick season. Breathe in every Christmas program, every school band concert, every sport game, every awkward school picture day, and every science fair (YOU did a great job on that science fair board, after all; be proud!). Breathe out and remember that you're imperfections become a testimony, to your children, of God's grace. You CAN do this. You can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength.
For my sending a kid off to college mamas: You CAN do this. On those days when you can't stop worrying and wondering if that man-child of yours is actually remembering that dirty socks and underwear are NOT appropriate room decor... take a deep breath, mama. On those days when you see all those pics of your sweet little girl on Facebook at what looks like a party scene straight out of Animal House, and you wonder if all these tuitions payments you're making are just going toward a very EXPENSIVE party... take a deep breath, Mama. On those days when after months of missing your sweet angel, she comes home with three garbage bags FULL of laundry, which she totally expect you to do (HOW are there SO many bags of clothes???), because college is hard and she must spend her two weeks home sleeping... take a deep breath, Mama. On those days when you sit at home in the quiet and miss the chatter and chaos of having those young humans at home with you, and you feel like your heart is going to shatter... take a big, long, deeeeeep breath, Mama. Breath in and remember this is only a season, and you will adjust. Breath in every phone call, every new experience they share with you, and even every bag of laundry, because they still come home. Breath out and remember that you're imperfections do not inhibit their success. They must find their own way. Trust God. He loves them too (even more than you do). You CAN do this. You can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength.
As a new school year begins, we mamas need to remember that there is grace to cover our mishaps-which WILL happen, grace to cover our frustrations (and out of control yelling)-which also WILL happen. There is grace to cover our inadequacies, our shortcomings, and our occasional inability to prepare a meal with any nutritional value, find a pencil, or locate a matching pair of socks. There is grace to cover us, Mamas. We need only to humbly approach the throne of grace, and receive the forgiveness, love and grace of the Father who loves us so much.
Let us all extend that same grace to our children, who are all dealing with their own insecurities. Let us be an example of imperfection covered in grace. Let us be real. Let us show love to those young humans on the ugliest of days. They need grace as they navigate this new year too. We mamas need to say to them:
"take a long deeeeeep breath, Child. You CAN do this. You can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength."
SO as we start a new school year, take a long deeeeeep breath, mamas. Take a long deeeeeep breath children. We CAN do this. We can do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength.
Blessings to all for a successful new school year.
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