Did you know as a mom we wipe butts all day long? “Mommmmm, I need you,” my 4 year old still yells! Awful, I know, and as much as I want him to wipe his own butt, if I let him, he walks around all day scratching it because he didn’t wipe well enough!
BUT…
That’s not the “buts” I am talking about today.
I am talking about all the “buts” that keep me from living the full life God has planned for me!
The “buts” that come so naturally because they are convenient and comfortable. The “buts” that trick us into thinking we shouldn’t go any further, that it is not worth it. The “buts” that give us an excuse to think life is out to get us. It’s really easy to get lost in the mom life. We wake up and mom all day. We wipe the butts. We feed the mouths. We eat the cold meals. We never go to the bathroom alone. We have to hide in the closet to get some alone time. I feel ya! My father-in-law was in town visiting one time and he got upset at me because Matt had just spent a long time preparing a very good steak meal for us and it was hot and ready to eat. I was still breast feeding at the time and doing so on demand, so I left to go feed Mia. He saw that as rude. I don’t blame him for it because if I wasn’t a mom I would have thought the same thing. I came back and ate the cold, yet still very good, steak. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a mom, BUT it is exhausting! I love my kids depending on me, BUT I forget to depend on others. I love taking care of my kids, BUT I have a very hard time letting others take care of me. I love to love my kids, BUT I forget to look around and feel the love for me. I love hanging out with my kids, BUT I forget what it feels like to enjoy a nice night out without them. Before I had kids, I would not think twice about going out for a nice run or hanging out with the girls one night. Now I just feel selfish and unsettled. We can be the best moms in the world, BUT lose ourselves along the way. If we become so narrow-focused on taking care of others, we will miss the blessings God has given to us personally.
This is very dangerous because then our mindset becomes “BUT WHY NOT ME!”
We see the blessings all around us bestowed on other people, BUT have lost the ability to look inward and the ability to recognize our blessings. When my kids say their “buts” I usually respond with “no buts!” or “but nothing!” I want to take all my “buts” and say, “BUT NOTHING!” How do we get there, though? Start by replacing the “buts” with “yes” and see how our perspective starts to change. I love being a mom, YES it is exhausting! I love my kids depending on me, YES I forget to depend on others. I love taking care of my kids, YES I have a very hard time letting others take care of me. I love to love my kids, YES I forget to look around and feel the love for me. I love hanging out with my kids, YES I forget what it feels like to enjoy a nice night out without them. We have acknowledged these and, yes, it is ok to feel these things, BUT let’s not get stuck there. It is OK to work on things that benefit ourselves too! Momma, it is ok to do things for yourself! Wake up, take a shower, do your hair and make up – just because. I haven’t done my hair or make up in probably the 21 days since we have been in Belize. So today, I woke up and did! Even though I had no where to go. Go for a run and feel alive. Make goals for yourself and reach them.