Saturday, August 23, 2008

A Little Stress Relief



Once, long, long ago I was a young mother of 2 young children. I have always been a little rigid about grocery shopping, and this day was no different. I loaded my kids into the car and headed off to the store. The route always took us past my oldest child’s favorite park and each week I endured her begging to stop and play. “But we have to get to the store,” was my usually reply.

But as we drove this day it finally hit me. Why not? Why hurry to the store, hurry through the store, hurry home, and hurriedly put away my groceries? What difference were a couple of hours playing going to make? So I stopped. But most importantly I learned that being a successful stay at home mother means sometimes leaving behind to-do lists and living in the present.

I share this story because it seems this is a lesson I need to continually learn. Fast forward 10 years and 4 more children . . . This morning I woke up with a list of things to do. Being sick a lot of last week and spending my cleaning time organizing clothes, there was housework galore to be done. Plus I needed to put the finishing touches on cleaning my children’s rooms. Plus it was laundry day. Plus I had all the new clothes to distribute & backpacks to find and pack. Plus I wasn’t yet feeling 100%. Then something happened; as my husband left for work he wistfully commented on how beautiful the ocean looked today. And I looked up.

“Maybe if I finish my chores today I can go out,” I thought. And then I had the same epitome of 10 years ago. Why not? Why clean all day today (especially when next week my numbers will be down to 2)? Why stay stressed and grouchy? Why miss out on this last, beautiful Saturday before school starts.

So I grabbed my swimsuit, grabbed my kids and headed outside. And I played. I enjoyed my children. I felt the sun on my skin. I pulled Matthew on a boogie board and jumped in the waves. And I felt my stress let go. I remembered that I WANT to stay home with these crazy little ones. I embraced the present again.

As we walked the sandbar, I thought about the scripture in Mark, “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

This scripture shows us the love Jesus has for children, but it also is a lesson for mothers. How often do I get so caught up in how busy I am and I rebuke my own children? “Not now. Maybe later. If we get finished in time.” Today I suffered my own children to come to me. And in so doing, I enjoyed a little taste of heaven.

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10 comments:

  1. Charlotte, I really needed to read this right now. You will read about I needed it so badly right now soon.

    You definitely get #1 mom award, thanks for helping me keep my head in the right place.

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  2. You almost made me cry! Holy cow, what a rollercoaster! I am gone a week and in order to catch up on your blog I have to laugh so hard I cry, miss you so much I cry and cry because I too sometimes need to stop and say why not! Thanks for posting!

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  3. Thanks so much for the post, exactly what I needed to hear too. I wish you still lived by me so that I could get some good parenting advice more often. I am so glad you are my big sister!

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  4. What a good way to live, I am glad you could go out and have fun instead of doing boring cleaning.

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  5. Wonderful post! Great reminder, especially when I think about how quickly my kids are growing up.
    It looks like you had a really fun day.

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  6. It will always apply to life. You are never not busy even when your kids leave home. Thanks for the post to stop and enjoy each day of the life that you have. I wish I could spend the day with your kids too.

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  7. LIfe passes us by way too quickly doesn't it? Thanks for sharing your lessons and your insight. It is always good for me to remember that I choose this life...it is what I WANT to do. The ocean does look beautiful, doesn't it?

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  8. LIfe passes us by way too quickly doesn't it? Thanks for sharing your lessons and your insight. It is always good for me to remember that I choose this life...it is what I WANT to do. The ocean does look beautiful, doesn't it?

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  9. Hello! I just found your blog through Claudia. I love this post. You have a great way with words! -Becky (Wright) Ford

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