YOUnique Mom!

YOUnique Mom!

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’”

– Proverbs 31:28-31

Do you ever feel like every mom around you is being awarded the good mom medal except you? Maybe you feel like a bad mom because you are not like the other moms? Guess what?!?! The other moms are not like you. There are moms at home right now eating a tub of ice cream as they scroll through your Social media profile and feel guilty that they are not the mom you are. I want all my fellow moms to STOP Playing the comparison game.

You were uniquely created to be the mom God designed YOU to be.

Psalm 139:13-14: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

Do you really believe that you are a wonderful mom in the eyes of God? He loves you so much and has equipped you to be the mom your child needs. You already have all you need within you to be the mother that God has created you to be. You only need to reach out and take it.

This does not mean that there are no areas we can trust God to help us work on as mother’s. There is not a perfect mom in this world. Shocker! Right?! I only want us to choose to STOP living in the shadow of our mom friends.

I have no sympathy bone. I always joke that Jesus switched my sympathy bone for a crafty bone. Need a crafty mom? Here I am. Need a hug cause you fell down after I told you THREE TIMES not to stand on the back of the couch, sorry I’m out of hugs.

We all have our WOW mom moments and we all have those not so WOW moments. I guess I would have to agree that my lack of a sympathy bone is a weakness for me.

The other morning we were on the porch taking pictures. I was so frustrated because I felt like Ellie was trying to make it difficult. (She wasn’t!!!!) In a moment of weakness I yelled “YOU ARE GOING TO SMILE AND YOU WILL ENJOY IT!!!” She cried saying “ I am smiling. This is my new smile!” I felt awful and I’m sure the entire neighborhood saw my crazy mom moment. I honestly just needed Jesus to remind me that my kids don’t have to be looking in the same direction in every picture. The truth is, the mom next door to you needs Jesus just as much as you.

When I was pregnant with Jay I felt like the worst mom in the world. Not only did Ellie have to hold my hair back as I hurled into her tub of animal crackers but one day we laid in the bed from the moment we woke up till 4 pm. Then we just moved to the couch. She played on her iPad the entire day and many days after that. Why? I was too sick to function and my pride held me back from asking for help. I look back and wonder, why didn’t we fly Jessie’s mother down? Why didn’t I reach out to my personal mom friends? Why did I feel like I had to do it all on my own? We all have seasons as moms when we need help and that is ok. We need to let go of our motherly pride so that we can receive that help.

Be willing to let go of your pride and ask for help. You don’t have to do this mom thing alone. It’s hard. It’s rewarding but so challenging too. Also, be willing to return the help to the next mom next door. Moms need moms!!!!

We were not created to do life alone.

The other day Kayla and I were working at the church. I couldn’t find my hot glue guns anywhere. I have 100 but could not locate one. In my head I started going through the motions of packing my kids up (I only have two but it seemed like a marathon) and hauling them to theDollar Tree. For a 20 minute event I knew that I was going to spend an hour because one kid was going to have a blowout and the other was going to want me to look at EVERYTHING!! Without hesitation, Kayla said…

“Just go. I’ll watch your kids.” Let me tell you how fast I ran out of that building. I was driving down the road to the FURTHEST Dollar Tree, singing at the top of my lungs to Ellie’s favorite Kids Bop CD, sipping my Diet Coke, bopping my head and feeling like a fly mom. I love my kids but can we just please normalize taking a break from our kids. Moms need a break. It’s ok to take that break. There is nothing wrong with taking care of yourself so that you can be a better mom.

#Normalizemombreaks!!!

We also need to Let go of unrealistic mom expectations! Until we let go of our unrealistic mom expectations we will never be able to reach our full mom potential that we were created to be. The only expectation you should have as a mom is to raise your kids to love and serve the Lord.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” – 3 John 1:4

We should want our joy as mother’s to be in the fact that we are raising our kids to love and serve God, not in how we can be more like the mommy Suzy Jane down the street who knows how to cook healthy meals and do cute hairstyles. That’s good and all but having the perfectly symmetrical pig tails is not what will bring our children joy, peace and purpose. Only Jesus can give them that.

Each and EVERY mom has something that only they can give their children. No one (except Jesus) can love your kids better than you. You have all you need to be the mom God has shaped you to be. God has already birthed that gift in you. You just need to reach out and take it. We are not the same. We are not called to be the same mom. We are all different as moms and that’s ok. We are all loved by the same God. We are not bad moms but we are uniquely created to be the mom God gifted us to be. You are just who your child needs. You are called, chosen, loved, you are a unique mom!

Happy Mother’s Day!