Ever have one of those days, when mothering drains you dry? When lil’ Princess Leia has a hysterical meltdown in the
candy aisle, or Mama’s boy Roy decides to taste-test his fresh nose pickings during the children’s choir performance. Or drama queen Ilene screams with a vengeance those three heart-shattering words you never, ever, in a million years expected to hear: “I hate you!”
You’re just over it.
Over your head.
Overdrawn.
Overrun.
You’re sure it’s as obvious to everyone else as it is to you: you’re just not good enough. Other moms don’t seem to have these problems; they must be doing it right. Their kids don’t flush the hamster down the toilet, bash the TV with a hockey stick, refuse to eat anything green except M&M’s, tie the neighbor dog’s legs together, wet their toothbrush without actually using it, and bathe only the “important parts.”
Wait. Or do they?
I’ve got a newsflash for you, my kerfluffled friend: you’re not the only one who thinks her maternal arrows are missing the bull’s-eye. We all do. On some days – okay, many days – those arrows do fly willy-nilly, but it’s okay. Hear me? I’ll say it again: It’s okay if you miss the target. Papa God created you to be enough for the specific needs of your children.
Even when you don’t feel like it, it’s true: You. Are. Enough.
Now breathe. And try to relax a little. You’re not ruining your kids any more than your parents ruined you by their parenting mistakes (no eye-rolling, please; I’m not finished).
In fact, your heavenly Father spins many of those very mistakes to make you a better person and a better parent.
Papa God is in the redemption business; He specializes in redeeming defective and damaged people.
“I have loved you … with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself” (Jeremiah 31:3 NLT).
*Excerpted from Deb’s brand new book, Too Blessed to be Stressed for Moms,
(available NOW at all online distributors such as Amazon, CBD, and Barnes & Noble, and in Christian bookstores everywhere!). Used with permission from Barbour Publishing.
So what do you think of my new book so far, dear BBFF (Blessed Blog Friend Forever)? I’ll be posting passages from Too Blessed to be Stressed for Moms throughout Sept. If you know a stressed-out mom who might be blessed by this brief excerpt, will you please forward this post to her? Many thanks!
And be sure to enter my Blessed Mom Giveaway #4 – the final FABULOUS “Blessed” gift package celebrating the Sept release of Too Blessed to be Stressed for Moms will be given away Sept 26. You could (and should!) be the winner, girlfriend!
Just hop over to my website, DeboraCoty.com, click on “Freebies” and then the Giveaway to find details on how to enter.
Great
This is exactly what I needed to read today! I’m the Momma to a Freshman in college playing collegiate soccer as a Goal Keeper with a big fat scholarship. Yesterday “I’m just not feeling it Mom” and she’s STARTING as a Freshman! “Oh Sweetie Girl you’ll get used to the 6:am practices in the RAIN!?! (Will she really? Doubtful!) Oh and “I don’t really believe like that anymore Momma I pray to the universe (well that’s good because GOD created the universe!) and I believe in a higher power (you mean LIKE GOD?). Calgon take me away! THEM my 15 year old son. “MOMMA B’s are just fine!” Hmmm not if you ever want to play that Fortnite crap again they aren’t!! Soooo the timing of this was PERFECT!! Thank you for getting it! The give away having Dove chocolate too, priceless! Oh did I mention I’m a Director of Sales and Marketing at a Memory Care Community. About to celebrate 23 years of marriage and thank you Lord for helping us make it this year because, WHEW! It was a rough one!
Wow, Steph, is your plate ever full! I’m going to stop right now and lift you up in prayer, sister-mom. As a word of encouragement, remember this, too, shall pass! When the next season of your life rolls around, these frustrations will be but a memory (of course there’ll be more and different frustrations, but like Scarlett O’Hara, we won’t think about those today). Thanks so much for taking the time to write!