Two Important Steps Moms Can Do to Embrace Challenges
Last Friday, I had the wonderful opportunity to share with the moms at Shoreline MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) in Austin, TX. Such a sweet group of gals!
My talk was about "Embracing Challenges", and while my talk was about 20 minutes or so, I thought I would share a portion of it here for you, as we all have to embrace challenges of different kinds and different sizes, in all times of our mothering.
Because we are all going to face challenges, I gave some suggestions as to how we can take a look at what we are doing right now in order to make changes so that it is easier to embrace the challenges as they come:
Check your schedule for busyness. Do you have a “full life” or are you just too busy? Author Sue Augustine writes in her book, 5 Minute Retreats for Moms: “When you say you are too busy, it implies that something or someone outside of yourself is influencing how you spend your time.” So ask yourself – do I really need to do this? And why am I doing this? As a mom of a preschooler, you already have enough on your plate just being the mom. "A full schedule of parenting is definitely a challenge, but 'too busy' is completely draining."
You can say NO. As a mother of
a preschooler, you are in the time of your life. Really.
This time is so important, so challenging and yet so joyful and
rewarding. Can I make a suggestion? Don’t take on so much and become so busy that
you cannot enjoy your kids. Too busy with outside things will make them seem a
burden instead of a blessing. I can
testify - the time will soon come in
your life when you will be something more than a preschool mom. You can still have a chance to be a room mom for your oldest child
at school, volunteer for the PTO or
organize a charity drive. Use your time
now to concentrate on your family as a whole . . . . and take care of yourself.
My talk was about "Embracing Challenges", and while my talk was about 20 minutes or so, I thought I would share a portion of it here for you, as we all have to embrace challenges of different kinds and different sizes, in all times of our mothering.
Because we are all going to face challenges, I gave some suggestions as to how we can take a look at what we are doing right now in order to make changes so that it is easier to embrace the challenges as they come:
Check your schedule for busyness. Do you have a “full life” or are you just too busy? Author Sue Augustine writes in her book, 5 Minute Retreats for Moms: “When you say you are too busy, it implies that something or someone outside of yourself is influencing how you spend your time.” So ask yourself – do I really need to do this? And why am I doing this? As a mom of a preschooler, you already have enough on your plate just being the mom. "A full schedule of parenting is definitely a challenge, but 'too busy' is completely draining."
Challenge is different than
busy. Challenge is actually manageable,
and that can be healthy. Sue Augustine says: “Days that are
filled, but with a balance of activity, rest and play are days filled with joy
and meaning. Temporary busyness – a
deadline, a trip to the ER, is just that.
Temporary.”
Busyness is purposeful over-scheduling. Don’t feel pressured to accomplish so much in
this season of your parenting. You will
only become depressed, irritable and even more tired than you are now. You must keep the emotional, physical and
spiritual as balanced as possible to ward off burn out and exhaustion.
Renowned parenting expert Dr. James
Dobson says in his book, Parenting Isn’t for Cowards: “… use your physical resources carefully and
wisely in the years ahead. Raising children
is not unlike a long-distance race in which the contestants must learn to pace
themselves. If you blast out of the
blocks as though you were running a sprint, you will inevitably tire out. You’ll gasp and stumble as the road winds
endlessly before you --- a balanced life makes that possible!"
Rethink your family schedule to see
if you have a challenging schedule or a busy one. Does your three-year-old really need to start
soccer now? Is it necessary to sign up for one of your children for a tumbling class every week? Should you be in charge of the Thanksgiving
dinner this year for your entire family?
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| The Youngest and I on an adventure at the Lady Bird Wildflower Center in Austin, TX |
Be sure to take regular time
with God and his word. The one thing we will always want to do is go
forward without asking God how we are to tackle the problem. Psalms 37:7 reminds us: “Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait
patiently for him to act.” He is waiting
for you to come to Him with the challenges that you are facing! Isaiah 58:11 encourages us by saying that “He
will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry, and restoring
your strength!” He is already making
provisions for you for the challenges ahead!
Throughout the Bible are words of
encouragement and accounts of others who went through difficult
challenges! Read the stories of Ruth,
Esther and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
They are just a few of the women who had difficult challenges to
overcome and how they were victorious!
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