The other day my friend sent
me a text and asked me if I could write a blog about how to contain the cranky
and impatient mom. I laughed and said that yes I could. Of course I could write
about that. I'm the master at crankiness, and I have impatience down to a
science. It would be like writing to myself. It could be my autobiography.
Before I could think much more
about it, my friend posted this picture:
I realized my friend didn't need ME to write her a blog at all. She had it all figured out. In her busy
life of 4 active children (one being only a couple months old) she had taken a
moment of frustration and turned it into a moment of joy and fun. I am pretty
sure that the day she decided to swaddle all four children with the couch
blankets to keep them calm is one that they won't ever forget. Look at those
hilarious faces! Even the baby is laughing!
Make memories in the moment.
No matter how the moment makes
you feel.
Sometimes the moments are
overwhelming. Sometimes the moments are exhausting. Sometimes the moments
frustrate us and make us want to pull out our hair. But we can find joy in the
moment if we take time to look.
I remember when my kids were
little and they wanted to bake. I would agree, and brace myself for the chaos.
I'd tell myself, "I will be a good mom. I will bake with my children. We will
have the best time ever." I also clearly
recall that it almost always ended up in a gigantic mess with someone crying.
(Usually me!) I wondered if it was worth the effort. Was anyone having fun? Am
I crazy to try to make these moments?
A few months ago my husband
and I were looking through some old videos and we came across some of those "cookies
with small children" days. I got quite emotional because I realized that what I
once considered to be stress was now a cherished memory. As I looked at that
video I didn't see mess, I didn't see crying or yelling. I saw myself making a
moment with my children. They were
happy, we were happy. I'd give anything to time travel back and have that day
again, when they were small and cuddly and fit in my arms.
Cherish the moments.
Cherish all of them.
Hard and easy.
Find the joy.
James 1 talks about trials. It
talks about how all situations that come our way, we should consider them to be
joy. I think that speaks to whatever moment, big or small. Joy in those
moments. Sometimes we have to choose joy, but like my friend Ashley - making
that choice can make a moment.
Choose Joy.