A lot of us moms can fall into the "performance trap." Are we doing enough to be a good mom? Are we making healthy meals and including all the food groups? Are we packing them a nutritious lunch with a smiley face note from mom? Are we paying enough attention to their schoolwork and listening enough to make them feel important? Are we volunteering enough at school, at church? Are we helping those in need? Are we keeping the house clean enough that an unexpected visitor doesn't send us into a bout of shame? Are we juggling all the extra-curricular activities with ease, or are we always flying out the door at the last minute? Are we giving enough, doing enough, and being enough?
We start to compare ourselves to other moms, and up our performance. We feel guilty and are afraid if we don't perform perfectly our friends will look down on us, and worse yet, our children will not value us as a mom. Mom's struggle with these things. Other people can be cruel and judge us on our shortcomings and weaknesses. With five kids, even the best mom can drop the ball a few times....... And I have. The human mind and body are only capable of so many things.
When I start to feel like a failure, I turn my eyes to Jesus. There is my comfort, my refuge. God loves us unconditionally. His love is not contingent on how many hats we are wearing and how perfect our performance is. His love, and our performance, are not related issues. He will not love us more if we are doing more, nor will he love us less if we are not doing as much. he simply loves us.
When i feel as if I have been boo'd off stage, I regroup. I focus on Jesus and his unfailing love. I ask him to direct my mind and show me what is important. Living in this freedom of being enough for God, allows me to give that unconditional love to my children. It gives me the courage to say no when I need to, and yes to the things I excel at.
We are going to be busy, we are moms after-all. Just don't let the performance outshine the message.