Mother Discusser

My friend Jaimie recently started blogging.  She is taking a unique approach to her blog by asking questions to other moms.   Her readers are then commenting their answers while gleaning wisdom from one another.  Her first discussion was based on the questions: 

Has being a mom made me more or less resilient?

-Since becoming a mom, I've had to dig deep within myself in order to... 

 

My responses to her questions are listed below as well as in the comments section of Jaimie's post.  I'm super excited to see how this works and to be a part of it.  You can join the discussion here.

After having kids my body is definitely less resilient.  The whole transverse abdominal muscle seemed to cooperate after one.  And two. After number three though, I think it thought, "If you like being pregnant so much I'm just going to let you look four months pregnant for the rest of your life. (Insert evil laugh here.)" 

Seriously though, just like all of the comments before me.  Motherhood has made me more resilient.  It's one of those things where you can either be overcome by life or you can step up and make life happen.  And seriously you have kids, is there really any other option but to step up?  Every child, and every change/obstacle in my life requires going beyond myself. I try not to over-think the piles of laundry and toys, the meals to be fixed, the lessons that need to be taught, the numerous diapers to change and I take NIKE's advice, "Just Do It."  Don't think though that I am a "doer" by nature, because I'm not. I too struggle with laziness, so much so that, I often say I am the sluggard from Proverbs.  It helps when I am feeling overwhelmed with my children, with my life, and rebellious towards the demands on my plate to remember Luke 12:48b, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." 
So what do I have to dig deep for?  Everything.  I have to dig deep to wake up some mornings. I have to dig deep not to go with my initial reaction when my children make me angry. I have to dig deep to give my oldest more freedom. I have to dig deep to not be so selfish.  I have to dig deep to come up with something for Barbie to say to Ken when playing with the girls. I have to dig deep at times to be outward focused.  I am so thankful that regardless of how difficult it seems, how deep this hole is that I am digging; God is faithful and renews my spirit everyday.