Being a Mom is HARD

This week, I am getting a teeny tiny taste of the life of a mom. I am in Arizona visiting my dad, and he is good at dad things. Not the best at mom things. I am having the chance to learn mommy things.

I can make a nice ham sandwich, but:

The rice I cooked had too much water...

The mashed potatoes were a little too...mashed...

I was very grossed out when I had to cut the meat off the bones of rotisserie chicken...

I freaked out when my dad forgot to keep the receipt...

I nearly had an aneurysm when we bought something spontaneously...(NOT ON MY LIST!)

I forget that Brooke and Liam can't read my mind to know that if they don't clean up their mess...

I struggle with patience.

 

But, I can be patient with my 2 year cousin (Did I mention she is 2?!!). I can be kind to the psycho moms that come in my work and demand me to use their expired coupon.

 

Yet, I find it VERY hard to love my own siblings.

 

They are exactly same. They are young. They don't understand my struggles, and why I get frustrated. They are blissfully ignorant, and that is okay. They are kids. I am at fault for thinking that they are purposely frustrating me. I am the one sinning.

 

Rather than get frustrated when they don't say thankful for everything, I need to look at this differently. I am learning through all this that I am the lucky one. I am blessed to have the privilege to serve two of God's wonderful children. I feel happy when I get to make them food. I feel happy when they have fun at the swimming pool. I feel happy when I watch a movie with them that I don't necessarily want to watch.

 

In reality, these are not sacrifices.  I just am not to be used to doing kind things for Brooke and Liam, so it feels like a sacrifice. Whatever I give the Lord ALWAYS comes right back to me. I am receiving knowledge, patience, and memories. The Lord wants me to protect His children, but in reality I am the one who is being given the privilege to fulfill my divine potential.

 

A person with different beliefs could think, "She should love and serve her siblings. Period. It should not be based on if God says to or not."

 

That should be true, but we are still slaves to the natural man inside us. We are selfish and prideful. We don't do the right thing. When we learn to stop yielding to the natural man and instead yield to the will of God, that is when we begin to do the right thing. Why? Because we love God. We learn that we are truly happy following God, and that we are willing to do anything for Him. We learn that God wants the best for us, and that His way is the best.