(To those of us who are not "such a good mom!")
Sometimes it feels like I am on the inside looking out. Enviously watching the "such a good mom!s". You know them. I know them. They tirelessly play games with their kids. Make crafts. Create innovative lesson plans. Cherish those blow-the-fluff-off- the-dandelion moments that make the facebook newsfeed such a special place. Modestly dipping heads in acknowledgement of the laud sure to follow: "You're such a good mom!"
I am silent. I watch, and I wonder...
How on earth are these women not cleaning toddler pee off their bathroom floor every ten minutes like I am?
I know the blessing of motherhood, its challenges and its rewards. I know sometimes you have to snag the simple snippets of joy where you can before the flood of daily chaos overwhelms you. I love my children. But I also need a break from them. The games I do play are the ones I play in my head...why can't I be "such a good mom!"?
Well I hate playing games. So today, I quit. I am not "such a good mom!", and I'm ok with that. And if I could write a comment on the status of every fellow woman who wearies in the midst of the "such a good mom!" battle, I would boldly declare:
We are good moms.
Because we get up every morning and strive for what does not come naturally to us, we are good moms.
Because we constantly look inside ourselves to search for areas of improvement, we are good moms.
Because we struggle in hope that the greatest rewards come from a lifelong challenge, we are good moms.
Because we know that classic, tell-the-grandkids stories arise from the pull-your-hair-out antics of our crazy kids rather than the perfect obedience of boring kids, we are good moms.
Because we know that not always having 100% positive things to say about motherhood 100% of the time does not mean we aren't thankful for God's blessings or love our children any less, we are good moms.
Because we can appreciate dry humor as a great antidote to stress, we are good moms.
Because our children will feel love combined with the fact that the world does revolve around them, we are good moms.
Because we quickly learn that we mother by faith, not parenting books, not model families, we are good moms.
Because God gave our children to us
To bless us
To refine us
To teach us that He is holding onto us on the days we don't have the strength to reach out to Him,
Because He gave them to us
Not James Dobson, not the Duggars, not the Pearls...
Not "such a good mom!"
Because He gave them to us
we are "Mom"
because He is such a good God.
And I pray through these crazy days of lost tempers, zapped energy, and yes, even dribbled pee, somehow He is making us more like Him.
