Ode to mothers...

Isn't this a fun picture? These are just two of the many, many families who bless our lives. Thanks for dinner guys!

Recently I was visiting with a new friend outside my home whom I have admired as very "with it" - if that's even a word. Meaning she is so well put together, poised, head on her shoulders, confident mom, never stresses out and all the good things that you want to be as a mom. Of course in this exact moment one of my cute little kidlets decided to have a temper tantrum and wouldn't listen to me. You know the "please come here" and you get the "NOOOOO!" answer as they run away like they are going to be locked up in a dungeun? Well, as I am trying to handle this little meltdown with ease I am thinking to myself "oh what can she be thinking, this looks like I have no idea what I am doing here!" Now I need to make a note, that I truly wish I never worried about what other ladies think of me, but honestly - I do sometimes. Not because I need the praise and honor, but because I really try hard to teach my children correct principles and when they misbehave, I worry of the judgment that sometimes comes in those moments - usually from well meaning women who just do not fully understand the dynamics of that day. I am sure we have all been recipients of this at times as well as been the givers of the judgment. I know for myself I am not free from either one. So...as I finally finish my little "chat" session and my child leaves his "break" (that is what we call time-outs in our house), I walk over to her and to my surprise she praises me for handling that so well and wonders how I do it?! What!? Are you serious!? This leads into a huge discussion on parenting and we both shared things that we struggle with as we try our best to be great mothers. I was amazed that she had insecurities with motherhood just like I do, I would have never imagined. We closed the afternoon better women as we inspired each other to do better and encouraged each other with praise of the things we were doing well.
This left me in deep thought for the rest of the day, about how often it seems on the outside that so many of us are "perfect", and I know in reality none of us are, but in our own times of struggle with parenthood it seems easy to find those around us who are "with it" and see that we are not. I can not even say how many tears I have shed as a mother feeling I am not "with it." But this afternoon I had a wonderful reminder that all of us worry that we could be better. That we all need each other for support, ideas and encouragement. Some days we feel on top of the mountain and other days we are drowning in the sea. I am realizing more and more as my path crosses mothers every day that regardless of what it looks like on the outside, none of us are free from some sort of worry, stress, insecurity, hardship, shortcoming, or feeling of guilt. I also am learning that all of us as women TRY OUR BEST every day to overcome these obstacles. Some days OUR BEST has more energy than others, but it is still our best.
I am so grateful to know that I am not the only woman who has deep concerns about motherhood and making sure I am doing what the Lord has asked ME to do, in the best way that I can. I am also grateful to know that when my motherhood skills aren't the best on a certain day, that tomorrow is a new day. Wouldn't it be wonderful if each of us as women could release our sense of comparison and judgment, change our negative looks to smiles of encouragement and cheer each other on with our knowledge that we are all in this together? It is so much easier when we realize that truly we all need each other.