Sweet momma’s everywhere this post is just for you! It’s a little longer than normal, so pour a cup of coffee and enjoy!
Life with babies is chaotic.
Let them mess the piles of laundry up!
Life with toddlers is chaotic.
Let them lick the spoon!
Life with children is chaotic.
Play in the water every chance you get!
Life with teenagers is chaotic.
Let the craziness happen at your house!
For those moms of babies who were hoping the chaos ends when the spit up turns to sits ups and for those moms of toddlers who were hoping the chaos ends when diapers are no longer needed, I just have to say, it continues but you were not meant to be consumed by the chaos!
Yesterday we teamed up to blog with Suzie Eller on her handpicked topic:
What I hope my children remember!
As I stood in the bathroom looking in the mirror and thinking about what I wanted my children to remember I recalled times in my mind that I hope they forget. Times when I lost my temper because I let the chaos consume.
Lord, I whispered, please let them forget those times.
Forget those times I was consumed by the chaos.
Later in the day as responses where coming from both Suzie’s link party and our own blogs, facebooks pages, instagram….well you understand. I realized that I was not alone in wanting to either wipe a slate clean, make up for bad mommy moments or change how I was doing as a mom. And I wanted to share some valuable information from friends rich with wisdom! The wisdom I treasure, God’s wisdom!
My sweet momma friend Amber snapped this photo and put it on instagram. I thought yummy! Look at her go! She just started a new job, has three little ones that are the cutest buttons ever and a 4th little is on the way! And she’s cooking up a scrumptious looking breakfast. Look at that momma go! And then I read the words with her quick breakfast photo:
“I snapped this pic with great pride as I served the first plate of breakfast this morning. It does my heart well to serve my family with food I prepared with love. But let me tell you the truth behind this picture. Ava was half asleep, Jace said “eeww”, Kage was still in bed not wanting to get up, and hubby was finishing getting ready for work. Look what all I had done and yet no one really appreciated it. It left me (the preggo-momma who still had not eaten) defeated, rushed, and feeling once again all was in chaos. I need to learn to accept rushed mornings with a simple bowl of cereal, dinner that isn’t always gourmet, and a house that is simply lived in. My friends @suzanneeller and @fenderdonna posted on their blog on what you want your kids to remember.. I want to make a commitment to mine to give them memories of a momma who loves The Lord with all her heart, serves her family with gladness and without resentment when the gratitude is replaced by whining, and remembers to smile and keeps life simple even over bowls of cereal.
First can we all applaud her honesty!
Then can we applaud her stamina!
Seriously, let’s applaud her heart, the heart I know her children see and know. I’ve seen her with her kiddos and they love her to pieces.They will remember the books she reads, the goodnight kisses, the bike rides that didn’t go so well, the scrapes she’s kissed and the beautiful way their momma sings in church. I know they will. And I say, Amber, I love that commitment you want to make! I will cheer you on and pray you forward as you let the chaos settle around you and show your children the love of the Lord.
And then there is Meredith Bernard, a new friend via her blog, Lens and Pen. Writing from her heart she says,
“Will they only remember the angry, distracted mommy that spent too much time on her computer and taking pictures of other people? That is my life this last month and that is not the legacy I want stitched in the blanket of their mind.”
(http://meredithbernard.com/love-is-the-perfect-memory-long-after-were-gone/)
I see you Meredith. There struggling, just like me staring in the mirror. This little question that Suzie asked really gets your heart and mind going!
But girls, keep reading! There is a treasure chest item I found while I continued reading Meredith’s blog:
“Love doesn’t have to be perfect to be remembered. Love is the perfect memory.
Only the Perfect One ever loved perfectly and because He did, we don’t have to.“
Breath that into your heart momma!
Only the Perfect One ever loved perfectly and because He did, we don’t have to.
Breathe it in long and let it linger. Linger in that perfect love.
And then go and share that love, that perfect love, that is freely given, with your children!
“Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 11:19
Sweet momma’s everywhere this post is just for you!
Life with babies is chaotic.
Life with toddlers is chaotic.
Life with teenagers is chaotic.
But our God did not plan for us to be consumed with chaos. He planned for us to be consumed with His love.
Be consumed with Jesus, ~ Jodie
Lord, You are an amazing father with love so perfect, so pure, so consistent, so grand! Consume us with your love. Let our children see your love when they remember us. Amen
Thank you to both you and Donna for sharing your heart…. I have done alot of thinking on this t the last few days. It is a question I have ask myself in the past and it is one that has gave me much sadness.. There are alot of things I pray that my girls don’t remember me by, more of those that come to mind.. I pray that they will look back and see that I provided for their needs during the seasons that I was a single mom and that I did my very best. I pray that they will see that I have grown into a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend that loves Jesus and that is consumed with His love…. So thankful we have such a loving, caring, forgiving Father…
Angie, I know they see your love for Jesus! You surround them with love in a beautiful way!
This is beautiful, ladies. Thank you for the reminder that we were not meant to be consumed by the chaos. I love that thought!! How many days does it truly consume me…more than I care to admit. Even when I do admit it, there are plenty of times I leave out. Thank you for being brave in the sharing and generous in the caring. We really are in this together…all us brave mamas braving life with these littles. Thank you for the shout out for my post…that is so very special. Hope you both and all of us can go through this day a little less consumed by the chases and a lot more consumed with the blessings God has afforded. xoxo
Meredith, Thank you for the time in sharing with us! It was a joy to find you and we so look forward to continuing this journey with others, including you! Blessings new friend!
That post made me cry for all the right reasons. I had the thought over a year ago to only post “real” moments on social media. I wanted to encourage others (like Jodie talked about in her Cheering for YOU blog this week). We often see so many pictures that look so surreal and it’s likely because it was a second captured. A second followed or preceded by REAL life moments. I am so grateful for friends who are Godly mentors and can encourage and pray for me as I live out an imperfect life that wants to be consumed by Jesus and not the chaos that worldly living often brings.
The moment I say your picture I was taken in, but when I read your words with the photo my heart was touched and moved closer to God! That is what needs to be captured, cherished and remembered! Love you Amber, Jodie