Vitamins for This Mom
I got a letter yesterday. It was the best of vitamins to a weary mom. Before I get to it, I’ll explain why…or at least what I can see “through a glass dimly.”
My son often has powwow’s on one therapeutic or communication dilemma or another. He had a small one yesterday. (Just 5 adults and my 3 kids here.) Yesterday was the norm – juggling the professional talk – trying to shelter B from boredom – keeping his focus on showing off for them when his turn came – lunch for the girls – peanut butter on the table – my youngest all three with snotty noses and chest congestion – B cooking something in his throat – needing Tylenol and chloraseptic spray to power through the session – corralling girls into another room – trying to keep them quiet and distant but remain close enough for questions…
A complement flew up in the air. One of the ladies called me “an amazing mother” in the middle of my juggling routine. I’m honestly not sure who. Juggling, you know. Quickly, I brushed it off my shoulder with a half laugh and muttered something about my many faults. I breathed the thought, “if they only saw how short I fall.” Back to juggling.
An hour later I got this email. These words stopped me in my tracks. These past few years, I’ve often felt very alone. I’ve been much like the dwarves in The Last Battle by CS Lewis. They sit in paradise and refuse to believe it, seeing only what they want, believing themselves to be trapped inside a smelly barn instead. Some amazing women come in and out of my house every week. Why do I put them in a separate category as therapists and nurses? They are friends too. I’m hearing whispers to embrace what I have. This is sure proof. This email came from one of the ladies at B’s pow wow. In addition to seeing us since B was 2 for his needs, she has become a friend and even a Facebook friend. I share this, because I believe it’s a letter for any weary Mom, any weary person out there. This is what she hastily sent me from her iPad in her car, (over a drive-thru lunch, I imagine):
I want to encourage you to stay your course
in some future season you will see the fruit of your labor.
Take time to rest in Him, emotionally, physically and spiritually,
if not just for 5 seconds at a time.
Remember, YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL,
the sovereign Lord has blue’s school year under His authority.
May you receive God’s wisdom regarding what is your to do list each day
…and trust Him with the rest.
Phil 4:6 is on my mind
….don’t worry about anything, instead pray about EVERYTHING.
Tell God what you need and give thanks for what He has already done.
All of that sounds simple,
Not always easy,
but if we will let ourselves it is that easy.
the next few verses are very good, too
….that THIS is how we get unexplainable peace
….just keeping doing the basics we’ve been taught
….and control our thoughts making sure we are thinking peace, truth, noble things, glorifying things ( as opposed to beating ourselves down, my personal go-to thought).
*I reformatted this a bit, for emphasis.
Later that night, my husband and I seized the opportunity to grab a cup of coffee for 30 minutes after the kids went to bed. (First time we’ve had a nurse to help with bedtime.) We got back into the car, refreshed with warm cappuccino and a chance to sit together and study like 2 college students. In that moment, I fell into telling him about my cold symptoms. The rest of the conversation went like this:
J, “Are you taking multi-vitamins?”
Me, “No.”
J, “Go on.”
Touche! I laughed out loud at myself and immediately thought again about this letter. How easily, I fall into the same spiritual foolishness, beating myself up or complaining instead of helping myself (and yes – I see the irony in my self-depreciation here too.) But my focus: To be living-breathing-prayer!
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. –Phillipians 4
a Rearranged Life 