Reflective Thoughts--for MOMS of Young'uns

When my kids were little, I often felt like I was all alone in my distressed moments. Even though I had a community of other moms and great friends around me, I'd hold back. Share just enough, but keep my deeper wonderings and issues to myself.

Down the road, I can't imagine how beneficial it would've been to be more authentic and vulnerable with others. It was pride and insecurity that kept me from doing so, because I lacked confidence to accept the advice or suggestions from others. I wanted to seem like the all-together one.

I wonder how many of those around me were doing the same thing?

Mamas, we may not always agree about what age to potty train, whether we nurse or bottle feed, rock 'em to sleep or let 'em cry...home school, public or private, how long to let 'em suck their thumb or the pacifier, to stay at home or go to work...and on and on. Let's face it. We're all unique and will never agree on all these issues, cuz God's made us all so uniquely, 'pinions and all.

But we all need encouragement to persevere, to put God first, to be willing to change our minds or learn to accept the decision of another. We can benefit from crying out to a friend when we're stressed and feel like the worst mom on planet earth, by admitting our failures and weaknesses and regrets. Can we confess when our spiritual well has run dry or when we can't stop running to the tv or the mall or the pantry or the fast food window to fill our souls?

Maybe, and I'm thinking backwards here...maybe if we can stop debating the "issues," we can spend our time praying for one another and leading each other to the true Source for all the hard days in our lives as moms. If we can learn to let our little differences go, then we can get to the real stuff, the nitty gritty behind each and every decision we make anyway.

As iron sharpens iron,

so one mama sharpens another.

(Prov. 27:17, my paraphrase)

What do you think? Are you able to be transparent as a mom of young ones? What do you find most difficult about this season? If you could be gut honest with any other mom, what would you say? How do you respond to admonishment or advice from other moms?

Keep it real. I'll be praying for you.

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