With small kids, everything happens at once. Sometimes when I start cooking lunch I spend twenty minutes alternating between fishing some scrap of paper out of the baby's mouth, taking a child to the potty, correcting another child, changing a diaper, getting someone a drink, and moving the baby away from whatever "dangerous" spot he's found. And all I've done for lunch is turn on the stove.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed in a house full of small children no matter how much you love them. As my children get older and I've been mothering longer (funny how those two go together) I'm learning ways to stay filled up instead of just pouring out all day.
I know this is a touchy topic. Should moms pursue "me time"? Do we spend every minute in service to our family and think we can do it happily because we love them and love Jesus? Moms are still women first. It's hard to nurture anyone else when you are running on empty.
Of course there's a caution in this. When I want to run away and escape I have a problem. No rest will be enough, no vacation will cheer me up if I want to be released from the responsibilities that God has given me.
Carolyn Mahaney said that the point of rest was to strengthen ourselves for service. And the point of this recharging is to better steward the talents and opportunities God has placed before us- whether it's motherhood or some other work.
Tomorrow on the Uniquely Woman podcast I'm interviewing Tori Gillit and we discuss inspiration and social media and how she stays inspired. Be sure to download the episode and leave us a rating and review once you listen!
I know this is a touchy topic. Should moms pursue "me time"? Do we spend every minute in service to our family and think we can do it happily because we love them and love Jesus? Moms are still women first. It's hard to nurture anyone else when you are running on empty.
Of course there's a caution in this. When I want to run away and escape I have a problem. No rest will be enough, no vacation will cheer me up if I want to be released from the responsibilities that God has given me.
Carolyn Mahaney said that the point of rest was to strengthen ourselves for service. And the point of this recharging is to better steward the talents and opportunities God has placed before us- whether it's motherhood or some other work.
So how do I recharge or fill back up?
1. Spend time in the Word. Read it. Soak it up. Let God speak to your heart. This is what I need more than anything.
2. Read good books. I'm always reading books about marriage, mothering, homemaking, writing, creativity, and sometimes even business. I need that spark of ideas and the reminder of why I do what I do.
3. Write. Even if it's not for public eye writing helps me understand my beliefs. Writing about my thoughts helps organize them and captures a fleeting picture of life.
4. Have real conversations. Real conversations preferably aren't interrupted by texts or Twitter and center on more than the weather or the latest trend in scarves.
5. Do focused work. For me this looks like piano lessons and my art project. Just getting out of the house to wander around Wal-Mart wouldn't be as helpful.
Tomorrow on the Uniquely Woman podcast I'm interviewing Tori Gillit and we discuss inspiration and social media and how she stays inspired. Be sure to download the episode and leave us a rating and review once you listen!
What do you do to recharge? How do you stay filled up in the midst of your responsibilities? What are your thoughts on motherhood and womanhood and managing both?
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