The missing Dora the Explorer miniature doll "incident" was not one of my prouder mom moments. (See "With Apologies to My First-Born" on the Lists and Laughs page of this blog.)
While I was searching for the MIA doll and acting like a lunatic, I ranted, "I spend ALL MY TIME looking for lost stuff!"
I still rant and rave as an older mom (see "I Don't Deserve to be Treated This Way"), but at least now I understand something I didn't on Dora Day: as mothers, we are shaping eternal souls. But what that looks like a lot of the time is trying to find the lost something or driving someone somewhere or figuring out what to make for dinner.
I love, love, love this quote from American psychotherapist and spiritual writer Thomas Moore: “The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest” (Care of the Soul).
As moms, we might feel like we're "just" doing this trivial task or that mundane thing, but what we're really doing is something that's important to someone's soul.
Even as I write this, I can almost hear the moans. "Good grief, not another mom blogger telling me every little thing I do is supposed to fulfill me and that I should feel exalted while I clean the toilet." No, dear mama, that is not what I'm trying to tell you at all.
What I am trying to tell you, in fact, is over on Her View From Home. I know! This is either sneaky of me or annoying of me or both, but I hope you'll forgive me and click on over anyway. Then, if you're really feeling patient, come back here and let me know what you've "just" done today. Which, by that point, I hope you'll know really does matter.
Thanks for the encouraging reminder!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading, Sara! Blessings on whatever you're "just" doing today!
DeleteKids are alive and fed, my job is done even if it is "JUST" barely lol!
ReplyDeleteYou should come link up at the Bloggers Spotlight tomorrow night, we pin everything to our group board and have two seperate link-ups, one for regular blog posts and one for pins.
http://www.raisingfairiesandknights.com/category/bloggers-spotlight/
Hope to see you there!
Congratulations, mama...you did it! :) Love it...and "just" barely is plenty good enough for me! Thank you so much for the link-party invite...I will be there!
DeleteI left my comment on the other site you guest posted on. Shared on FB because, well, it is so good!
ReplyDeleteMichelle! I just read your precious and incredibly kind comments on Her View From Home. How can I thank you for encouraging me so greatly? God has used you as an instrument of His grace today. You are a gift to me...bless you, bless you!
DeleteI just "ate" a delicious "cake" prepared for me for the umpteenth time today...and it was just as delicious as the first, early this morning! :) Oh, and yesterday, it was the playing the Candyland scenario...
ReplyDeleteOh, you go, sweet mama! And now Gv is all filled up with love and the assurance of how important she is! Seriously, the older my girls get, the more I'm convinced how much this matters. Even though I blew it so much (see "Dora Day.") Although, not to put you on a pedestal of unrealistic expectation, but I truly cannot image you blowing it. Anyway, your darling girl is blessed. P.S. Any chance you got some real cake today, too? ;)
DeleteHad to come back over for a visit when I spied your post on a link party! I DID get real cake - that last little bit of eggnog cheesecake I'd made. :)
DeletePraise the Lord. I am enormously relieved to know this...and happy for you, oh Candyland mama! Hang in there...in a few years, you might get to play "Headbands" with your girl. L and A and I love to play it together, in no small part because we can all lie on the floor and hardly move at all while we do it. It does engage the brain and creativity and foster familial connections and ALL THAT, but yes, its chief joy is that lying-on-the-floor thing. ;) Happy Friday Eve, my friend. P.S. Truly, truly, I almost have that epic email ready to send to you.
DeleteHA! My least favorite words in the English language: "Where's my . . . ?"
ReplyDeleteThanks for this insight into all the things that mum's do which no one may notice, but which most certainly WOULD be noticed if we did not do them!
Oh my word, YES, Michele! When my girls were younger and asked that question what felt like 100 times a day, it sent me over the edge. (See "acting like a lunatic.) Now that they're older, they don't ask it as much. Whether that's because they're, well, older and know how to find their own stuff better or because all my ranting and raving from their younger years scared them off saying it, I don't know--and don't, frankly, care! I still spend plenty of time helping my family find lost things (my oldest calls me "Sleuth Mommy"), but I'm not usually quite so over-the-edge about it these days. Thanks so much for stopping by!
DeleteIn the beginning of being a sahm, I wondered what am I contributing the world, since my day just consisted of taking care of the kids and keeping my house. Thanks for the encouragement. Great post!
ReplyDeleteExactly, Sarah! I well know those wonderings. But if there is one thing I as a mom of older kids can say for certain, it is what I tried to say here: what you are contributing to the world are eternal souls who will be able to bless others because they have been cared for, nurtured, taught, provided for, and loved--through all those things their mom "just did" every day. Thank you so much for taking time to stop by...blessings on you, sweet mama!
DeleteWell said! I am a mother of six and I have to tell you, I constantly need to be reminded that every little thing I do matters and have an impact on my children. It is easy to forget this because we often don't see immediate results of all we do. Thank you for this reminder!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Anika! I love what you said: "It is easy to forget this because we often don't see immediate results of all we do." We do what we do now for what we trust will come in the future. Thank you for taking time out of your busy, mom-of-six day to stop by and leave your wise perspective!
DeleteIt gets so difficult to remember that these things matter when there are rarely pats on the back for changing the umpteenth diaper or finding one more lost something! But they soooooooo do matter! I'm thankful for God's reminder of the gifts He has given us and thankful for this sweet reminder as well!
ReplyDeleteBlessings and smiles,
Lori
You are so right about those "pats on the back," Lori! But we moms go forward in the assurance that we are doing eternal work that makes a difference. Thank you for taking time to stop by and for your kind words!
DeleteElizabeth, it all matters. I've been at home full time for over 11 years. We have sacrificed a lot for me to be at home and I wouldn't trade these years for anything. The most important thing I can do for my son is help nurture his spiritual life, everything else will fall into place. This is a beautiful reminder! Thank you for sharing with Thankful Thursdays.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Lori! I echo this: "we have sacrificed a lot for me to be at home and I wouldn't trade these years for anything." Us, too, and me neither! :) And I love you for distilling it all down: if we nurture our kids' eternal, God-shaped souls, "everything else will fall into place." Thank you so much...for stopping by and for hosting Thankful Thursday!
Delete"I still rant and rave as an older mom..." Needed to read that line! Parenting is tricky, no matter our age or how many kids we have. With each child, I still feel like I'm figuring things out! I also love the quote you included from Thomas Moore. Hopping over to Her View from Home now. :)
ReplyDelete"Parenting is tricky, no matter our age or how many kids we have. With each child, I still feel like I'm figuring things out!" Truth, mama! :) Thank you so much for taking time to stop by and to make the trip to HVFH, Stacy. And if my brutal honest about motherhood could encourage even one fellow mom, it's all worth it! Bless you!
DeleteThank you for sharing this inspiring and encouraging post over at Bloggers Spotlight Linky Party, hope to see you again! Pinned!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Cristina! You're too kind! I'll be back to party again! ;)
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