Hope for the Mom Who Doesn’t Measure Up
I was racing toward the basketball court to catch my son’s game, when out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the t-shirt that summed up my very chaotic morning.
“Mommin’ ain’t easy”
The grammar is terrible! But, friends, truth isn’t reliant upon grammar!
I could almost sense God smiling, winking gently as if to say, “See? It’s not just you. You’re not alone.”
It was a well needed reminder that morning because I did feel alone. No Mom-of-the-year awards were being handed my direction and as I looked around, I felt as though I was the only Mom in the crowd who didn’t measure up.
Do you wrestle with the same kinds of feelings? The feelings of just not measuring up?
We see
Beautiful Mom
Organized Mom
Funny Mom
Volunteer Mom
The Mom with what appears as perfectly behaved children. And the Mom who throws together fresh healthy meals at a moment’s notice.
And right in the middle of all those Moms, lives our own reality.
Do you wrestle with feelings of just not measuring up? #motherhood #hope @womenabiding Share on X
The reality of the 20 pounds we’d like to lose, the doctor appointment we forgot to make, and the witty conversation that never happened.
The reality of the ketchup trail plastered across our shirt leaving evidence of the fast food French Fries upon which our kids once again feasted.
But in here is a truth we need to remember.
When assumption and reality meet, we often find defeat. And for Mothers, that intersection of defeat threatens to steal our passion for the precious gift of Motherhood.
Friends, the Mom we see as perfect, is not. There just isn’t perfection outside of God.
That beautiful Mom?
She may be wracked with the pain of a chronic illness which she is refusing to let defeat her. Her make-up and clothing? A way to fight the enemy who desires for her to give up.
The organized Mom?
Her extended family may live in such chaos that her weapon has become the sense of control she gleans from organizing.
The funny Mom?
She may find humor and wit as tools to fight the grief that threatens to swallow her whole.
And the volunteer Mom?
The struggles she faces within the walls of her own home my give her cause to find joy and happiness in the act of giving.
I’m not saying just because a Mom is beautiful she is battling an illness nor does humor mean she is fighting grief.
But what I am saying, is that each and every one of us has a story. We are all fighting personal battles because the enemy of this world roams and wages war. Sin is present and trials are unavoidable.
None of us measure up.
We all fall far short of perfection.
Mommin’ ain’t easy.
Today I’m guest posting over at my lovely friend, Tehila’s blog, Women Abiding . I’d love for you to follow me over there to finish reading this post where I will encourage you to fight smart. I’ll share 3 steps I use to stop the lies that whisper, “You don’t measure up.” While you are there, take some time to soak in some inspiration from Tehila! She is a precious Mama who loves great big! Her life experiences are riveting and her testimony powerful!
Thanks for being a part of the Searching for Moments Community! I pray these words point you to the author of our hope and encourage you to know you are equipped for this journey! Did you know that when you join Searching for Moments, you get full access to all the resources found in the library of hope?
I regularly link up with these encouraging sites.
Nice encouragement for us moms who all feel like we aren’t good enough some days. Thanks for shifting the perspective! Happy to have stopped bybfrom #DancewithJesus
It’s tough work, this mommin’! I’m so glad I could encourage you today, Jill! Thank you so much for visiting and for your kind words!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Lori, thank you for highlighting the pitfall we toy with in comparing ourselves with others. You’re wise to point out that so many of the positive ideals we emulate in others often come with a negative aspect we tend to overlook. When we make comparisons like this, it causes us to be very shallow in our relationships, because getting too close puts us at risk of being “discovered” as imperfect. May God grant us a genuineness with each other that will deepen our fellowship in Him!
[P.S. I always appreciate your contributions to our Grace & Truth community 🙂 ]
Oh, yes, Jennifer! I am praying with you that God grant us that genuineness with each other that will deepen our fellowship with Him! So beautifully said! Thank you, friend! I so enjoy Grace & Truth, too! It is a beautiful place of hope and community!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Lori- what a great reminder! Not measuring up here lately, not only with mommin’ but with life. There’s always something to do and my attitude isn’t the best. It’s easy to fall prey to feeling like I’m the only one struggling and social media affirms my feelings.
I’m all for unmasking and being real, even when real is scary and you wonder if people will like you and your baggage.
I’m leaving here with a breath of fresh air and a skip in my step. God has me right where He wants me, doing what He wants me to as long as I align close to Him.
Julie
Sweet Julie, if you could only know how much you bless me! I love the real you! Unmasked is best! It’s true and real and heartfelt … Don’t ever put that mask back on, k? I am so thankful for the refreshing of your soul through these words! ♥
Hugs,
Lori
I love this! I’m not a mom but I do feel like this applies to so many aspects of my life. We always categorize people like you said! Into the good friends, the bad friends, the funny friends ect. I think you bring up such a great point that what you see on the outside may not be the whole story.
I love your blog and just started following along with you on bloglovin. I would love a follow back<3
xo Nicole
http://www.damatoadventures.blogspot.com
Thanks, Nicole! As women, you are right, we do tend to do that in many of our life situations! Not just as moms! Thank you so much for coming along for the journey. I look forward to stopping by to visit you!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Such encouragement Lori, and what we need no matter how long we’ve been filling this role of mom!
I keep hoping a day will come where I won’t need the encouragement … are you saying NEVER? Ha! I guess I will come out of my bubble and face the truth 😉 In all seriousness, though, thank you, my friend, for your kind words. I may be asking you for that encouragement in just a few years 🙂
Thank you so much for this great post! I compare myself a lot to the organized mom because with 4 kids….I just feel scatter brained most of the time. Tomorrow my kids have 4 soccer games and I have snack duty for 3 of them (and my husband works). Ha, I’m already anxious that I will appear totally unorganized and scatter-brained. I can’t wait to read the rest of your post so I can apply some of your tips.
What an encouraging post, Lori!
Thank you for sharing from your life and from your experiences!
Sure do appreciate you and your ministry~
Melanie