Did you memorize Col. 3:12? I did, and after a couple of weeks of practice, I hope it will stick for a long time! I said it to my hubby last night.
My tip of the week on mothering with gentleness: Take care of yourself. I'm not talking about indulging yourself, pampering yourself, and being selfish when it comes to your family. I'm talking about giving yourself the basic necessary care so that your family can benefit from a more refreshed mama. Recently I started taking iron supplements and being better about taking my Super Mom vitamins and I notice a BIG difference. While I'm still tired because that's a part of being pregnant, I don't seem nearly as tired and have more energy to be patient and gentle. I've also been waking up earlier, perhaps due to the need to go potty or the sunshine coming into our room but I have been using this time before the family arises to read the Word and go through A Mom After God's Own Heart yet again. It is such a great book and chock full of reminders as to what our primary goals as mothers should be. My quiet times have slipped into various patterns over the years and stages of my life; sometimes being great big times with God and other times quickies. Sometimes focusing on prayer and communion with God for a season and sometimes deep study of the Word. Through the fall and spring I was mainly getting fed through my devotions WITH my children, reading the Word and praying, etc. I really enjoy having some quiet reflection time now ALONE to pray and give my day over to God. I'm sure once the baby comes I'll have some opportunity for middle-of-the-night quiet times while nursing!
The point is: Nurture your relationship with God in whatever fashion or time slot you are able to do and it will help sooo much. Throughout this series, I've emphasized how important it is to pray, pray, pray and to lean on God because we can't do this on our own. Parenting is tough! Parenting strong-willed children is very tough!
Also, nurture your body through good nutrition, regular exercise, and rest. I know we all know that we need to do these things, but it is hard to implement this when your whole day is consumed with the care of little ones. I sometimes forget to eat or put it off and I have paid big time once I get the shakies and feel sick and wiped out the rest of the day! It's much easier to fix processed food, but don't you feel like a garbage disposal afterwards? I do! I'm also convinced that sugar makes kids irritable even if people argue that it doesn't cause hyperactivity. For this reason, try to work out little habits of buying and fixing healthy snacks for you and your kids, taking walks with your kids or chasing them outdoors for some exercise, and going to bed at a decent hour. It will go a long way towards helping YOU calm down instead of becoming a screamer who reacts to your kids (which is saying THEY need to calm you down!)
What a great post. :)
ReplyDeleteI recently finished reading "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God," and was renewed with their encouragement to have time with the Lord, even if the kids are up and around playing quietly.
I am going to look for the book you mentioned in this post. I have heard other's give good reviews of the author.
Glad to hear the vitamins have boosted you up a little. :) God's blessings.
Hi...I'm a lurker on your blog and just wanted to pop in and say hello. I'm pregnant too and the Supermom vitamins really help me get through the day. This was a great post. Thanks for writing it :-)
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