Some Reality

Every once in a while it occurs to me that a lot of what us mommy bloggers post on our blogs consist of the good stuff.  Cute pictures of our kids, fun things we've done.  Which is great.  I want to remember those things.  But life, at least at our house, is not always so and I would hate to give a false impression that we are leading the picture-perfect, easy, trouble-free life.  So here goes.

Somedays I feel like Jekyll and Hyde.
I get up, looking forward to a good day.  High hopes.
And then things quickly go down hill.  Not always, mind you.  But some days.
Like today.  And yesterday.
Nice happy mommy turns into angry, mean mommy.
At least that how it feels.
Maybe the house it too messy.
Maybe someone is too needy.
Or too grumpy.
Or feels like being argumentative and disobedient.
Maybe it's just me.
Or maybe it's just a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  (I do smile at the poor little guy in that book.)
I can remember always wanting to be a mom.  To be home with my children and enjoy fun-filled days.  I never would have guessed that I could be quick-tempered and impatient with these young ones that I wanted with all my heart.  Never crossed my mind that sometimes, I might just want to quit.  Or that I would fail to love them well, fail to speak kindly or gently.
And yet I sit here today knowing that I have felt all of those things more times than I care to admit.
So what do we do when the days are hard?  Not with the big things but with the everyday, little things that seem like a slowly dripping faucet.
Well, I wrack my brain trying to remember the truths I have committed to memory from God's Word.
I try to pray.
Prayers of thanksgiving.
Prayers asking for wisdom and help.
Prayers asking forgiveness.
Sometimes I call in the reserves- meaning my praying girlfriends.
I learned from one of them to even ask my children to pray for me,  to let them see my own need of the gospel.
Sometimes I remind myself to watch for those sweet moments that I would miss if I were stewing.  I give an extra hug or listen to someone's laugh (though I might not want to know what they're laughing about!)
Sometimes the day gets better and sometimes it doesn't, but I am thankful that God is bigger than our circumstances, that's He's even in control of all things, and He will use all these things for my good and His glory.
And I try to remember to be hopeful because it's not just that tomorrow is a new day.
It's that His mercies are new every morning.