I had MOPS today. Disclaimer: If you are not familiar with my thoughts on MOPS, you may want to check out some prior posts. Our speaking talked about "Soul Care" which she defined as being a good steward of what God has entrusted us with; ourselves.
As nature has designed it, motherhood can sometimes be... a lot. We deal with lots of stress, isolation, unrealistically high expectations that we put on ourselves or that have been placed upon us, a mothers compassionate heart and we are dealing with the whole image and identity thing too.
I am not complaining here, I know that every season of life offers us different chances to rise up and be better than we currently are. Without struggle we would cease to grow. I heard a story once about a little girl who was watching a butterfly emerge from a cocoon. It was struggling and she was afraid for it and wanted to help the poor little thing along. A wise man told her that if she were to help the butterfly, it would then not be strong enough to fly once it was out and it would die, the butterfly needed the struggle to make it stronger.
I think that is such a great picture of motherhood. If we don't struggle with learning to let our little make small choices (like wearing shoes), then we won't be strong enough to trust them with the bigger choices (what college to go to).
I am not trying to make light of all the hard work it is to mother young children, or mother any children at all. But when it comes right down to it, I am so glad God challenges me. It shows me I am strong enough, that I am responsible enough to raise these precious babies, that I can be more than I am now, and better.
2 comments:
I love this. I always tell myself that when Tristan is learning to put on his own underwear and it's taking him 30 minutes to do it and I should just do it myself that it's teaching him important skills like say no to drugs. You know how my mind works. So I say to myself again and again "Just say no, just say no." I'm so glad I'm not the only one who struggles with motherhood - It always seems so easy for some people (ahem, you!) - You are such a role model for me!
When I first read the beginning of this post I was thinking, "She blogged about it before I could!!!" I have been wanting to post about "Soul Care" since MOPS on Friday too. You took a different angle than I was thinking (I like it!), so I might still post something. Great thoughts, Gretch. You always make me think.
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