three mom goals for the week.

Three little reminders, some goals,  for this week about joy, motherhood, perspective, and priorities.

1. Devote intentional time. They don’t stay little – I don’t want to get so caught up in the busy that I miss today. Just last week it was my sweet little, but now getting very much big, Samuel’s third birthday. Each time a birthday rolls around I have that moment of pause where I sit back and wonder where on earth the time went and I feel that pang of they’re growing up. So remember, no matter what stage you’re in – they don’t stay little. And when I let myself see my children in that light then I start to dwell less on the difficulties and instead see the joy. Their laugh, the funny things they say, how they stack their toys, and how they see the world. When we remember that this season of childhood is short {and that someday in the future we’ll look back on it with nostalgia} it gives us much needed perspective.

 

 

2. Let go of guilt. It’s the guilt of I should have done this or I didn’t get that done or why didn’t I do that that is so easy to slap onto our day. The other day, I was feeling it, this guilt, that I put on myself about not getting everything done that I wanted to. I just kept looking around and seeing everything that I was behind in and began to spin myself into this cycle of feeling guilt over not finishing my to-do list for the day. There I was sitting at our island with tears in my eyes feeling just overwhelmed and somehow I started   to remember everything that was accomplished – the dinners, the stories read, the giving of time, the finished work, the time when I smiled even though the kitchen that was just cleaned was now messy,  and all that – and in that to let go of the guilt. The guilt was brought on by me – my ideas of what I thought needed to be a certain way – and then I lost perspective and missed seeing the blessings right in front of me.

3. Remember to be thankful for the work. For me, it’s fairly easy to begin grumbling about all that I need to accomplish in every single day. I’ll look at the pile of laundry, the dishes, the emails, the work, the driving, the cleaning, the starting over at the beginning of that list and doing it again. Then I’ll start to grumble. And gradually that grumbling turns to irritation to discontent to overwhelm. So instead of getting frustrated with the work – which robs from joy – I’ve been working {and it’s a work in progress} of adopting an attitude of gratitude for the work. Being thankful for the dishes to wash and mouths to feed. Thankful for a dryer that works and clothes to wear.  Thankful for time with my family, fellowship, and friends.

Seeking thankful because to me, thankfulness helps joy grow.

This week I’m going to remember, to keep perspective, and am going to work on being thankful. Those are my goals tucked within the everyday.

How about you?

~Rachel