Heart – the Letter to Self – Day2 {Intentional Parenting}

If you’re new here, welcome! Right now we are in the midst of a 10 Days of Intentional Parenting series. To get started click HERE to begin with post one titled Awake and to grab the first download. There are two parts to today’s post – a letter and a project.

Have you ever written a letter to yourself?

Not a letter cutting yourself down, or telling you where you messed up, but a letter of encouragement and hope to yourself? Several years ago, on this blog, I wrote a letter to myself called surprisingly and originally my letter to myself. It was simply a letter written from the perspective of a friend encouraging another.

We often cut ourselves short and overlook all we do accomplish, or finish, or do great at during our days being a mom. We set our own bar so high that we constantly give ourselves a failing grade. So, today, I want us to write a heart letter to ourselves {yes, there’s a journal page} that gives ourselves grace, hope, encouragement, and direction. A passing grade. A good grade, really.  I’ll go first. Read mine. Don’t compare, but look to it for ideas, as an example, and as a glimpse into my heart.

Dear Rachel,

You’re feeling overwhelmed again, aren’t you? I see it as you wander around the house going from room to room looking at the mess that’s piled up. The mess that you worked so hard yesterday cleaning. I know it feels like no one cares when they dump all those toys out and mix them up — I know you feel like they do it to frustrate you. But, they don’t.

I can see that you’re tired. You get up at the crack of dawn to the words mom mom mom MOM and then you stay up for several hours after the last has fallen asleep. You work hard. You work very hard. I see it. Every single day. Laundry, cleaning, sweeping, washing the floor, cleaning the toliets, scrubbing the sink, reading, playing, picking up toys, cuddling, cooking, raking the lawn, answering to mom, breaking up spats, figuring out the budget — you work. And sometimes? Sometimes it feels as if you work with no reward.

That’s not true.

You are a mom. You are important. You matter. Those seven little faces that look at you each morning wondering what they’re going to do or eat or wear or go or be for the day — you matter to them. You are their mom.

And in this world of busy, and fancy houses, and color-coding, and perfect lawns, and competition sometimes you measure yourself too short. Throw away that stick. Measure yourself against yourself. Be the best you you can be. Pray. Pray. And pray some more. Look to the Bible for wisdom. Don’t look at culture. Or the media. Only look to the Bible. And then pray some more.

Remember to tell your kids you’re sorry when you’ve had a bad day. But, don’t keep that day as a record of who you are as a mother. Let it go. Learn from it. Move forward, being grateful that our Lord’s mercies are new each morning. Just keep trying.

Being a mom is a beautiful thing. Don’t lose sight of the lives that you are blessed to touch. To them, those little ones in a life you are their mother.

You Are THEIR Mother.

Did you hear me? Their mother. No one in this life can ever replace you, take that role, change that — it’s a forever fact. You are mom. 

So today, Rachel, remember to give yourself grace, to pick yourself up when you’re tired, to keep on trying, and to give hugs and I love you’s. What you do matters.

I am so proud of you.

Love,
me.

Now, here’s the deal. I don’t want you to take a huge amount of time crafting this. No, in fact, I want you to set the timer in your kitchen for ten minutes {I tend to like ten minute chunks of time} and print out the download or grab a piece of paper or your blog page and I want you to just write. Let out the stuff that you’ve been feeling regarding being a mother and what you do and how you want to be — it’s okay. It’s part of being real.

Write your heart.

And remember to give those children of yours those much needed hugs. Or call and tell them you love them. Be intentional. In fact, yesterday, we talked about being awake and setting the timer for ten minutes. Challenge yourself to do that again today. Make that a habit.

Today’s activity? It’s a collage for your family to make using everyone’s hands as templates — the pics around are of our family making ours. You simply trace your hand and have family members write on your hand something they love about you. It allows a time of space in your day where you and your children can intentionally begin to think and describe what they love about the other — it’s their letters of heart to each other and you.  I know my mom eyes were opened to what my kids loved about me. Was it the big stuff? Nope.

It was when I played with them, cooked with them, crafted with them, read to them.
It was when I was present.

That’s it! A busy day two – you’ve got your letter and a project. Give yourself time and grace. And, remember if you have younger children it might be you tracing their hand and you writing in everything. Do it still.

Also, for all my facebook fans, I’d love it if you’d post pictures of your family’s hand collage on my page. I look forward to seeing your creations and works of love! And, if you are a blogger feel free to post your letter to self on your blog – all I ask is if you’d link back here within your post.

Tomorrow’s topic? See. The Beauty in the Everyday. And remember, if you haven’t yet subscribed via email and are interested simply click Subscribe to finding joy by Email {and complete both steps}. Thank you! And thank you for your shares, likes and encouraging words. I appreciate them!

The 10 Days Series is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutually beneficial projects.Visit us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. And of course, click the image below to visit all the 10 Days posts from these homeschool moms of the iHomeschool Network. You’ll be blessed with almost 300 posts on things ranging from  how to handle bad days to cultivating curiosity and teaching with Legos to cooking some fabulous gluten free/wheat free meals. Click the photograph to visit the iHomeschool Network site with links to all participants!