Welcome again, to all the lovely moms who’ve gathered here to go through this study, No More Perfect Moms. I know the video yesterday really hit home for so many – I loved reading what you shared on the Facebook page. Here are a few in case you missed them:
Loved the video for today! It made me smile seeing those moms hold up signs of their children when they were younger compared to now. My 3 year old has been a handful lately.But I know he’ll grow up to be a great man because he will have God on his side. One day I’ll be able to make my own sign and encourage other moms the way this video encouraged me.
The idea that we compare our insides to the outsides others are able to present really resonated with me. I think I need to be as careful with my own feelings and self-confidence as I am with my children’s. I was realizing that I would definitely step in and want to figure out why someone was so hard on themselves if they said the things I tell myself internally all the time. I guess I need more patience with me.
Can you relate to either of these moms statements?
I think we all have great intentions to be Super Moms – the ones who have it all together all the time, but then reality hits and all those expectations we’ve placed on ourselves fall short. It is almost like the feeling to be “better than” the others is automatically built into our nature when it comes to motherhood. Do you feel that?
I can feel it and I’ve been a mom for over 21 years – with kids in all different seasons. From the time I ventured into motherhood all wonder-eyed and full of excitement, I see how pressure has been beating down from all sides for me to be better, superior to the other mom who gave her kids chicken nuggets from the freezer every night and oh my – how about the mom you know who lets their child watch 4 hours of TV a day!! GADS!!
Well, let’s break the bubble right now ladies…..I’ve been at this mom gig for a few years and you know what? Last night even through my effort to eat Paleo and feed my family really good food, we all ate Dinosaur chicken nuggets and Tater Tots for dinner last night. Yep, no fruit or vegetable included – just processed food to fill our tummies.
I also have been known to park my little guy in front of the TV for several hours to meet a deadline, take a much needed bath or even perhaps have a good cry when I am on day four of my husband traveling out of town. Yep, the truth comes out.
Me…the one who encourages you to be your best mom. Well you know, sometimes our best doesn’t look so pretty and perfect. Some days are rough and when we allow ourselves the grace to just let our guard down and honestly…..get by, things turn out okay on the other side.
“There are no perfect moms – just imperfect women who will fall off the pedestal of their own expectations more often than they care to admit” Jill Savage
I have very high expectations of myself and they hinder my ability to enjoy the everyday. It is a process to learn to let go and God is working in my heart, but I know I am not the only one.
Do you feel your expectations are too high?
How did we get here, feeling like we have so many things to check off to be complete?
I am prepared in this journey to grow and this will unfortunately show you my “not so perfect” side I am sure through the journey. So be prepared – I love to encourage you, I know we are all great moms, but there are always little changes that we can make so things run a little smoother, or we grow in an area that the Lord is tugging at us to.
I need to make changes too and will be open and honest with the areas I struggle with and reveal some things that may surprise you. But it is time for REAL here – this is the place and I pray for grace and your virtual hugs as I share from my heart and take you on a journey.
“Masks do not serve us well. They keep us at an arm’s length from our friends, our family, and our God.” Jill Savage
The mask will be taken off ladies, as it so often is here – you see the good, the bad and the ugly! Please try to embrace where you are and where you would like to be. This idea of high expectations giving us a ‘Perfection Infection’ is very real.
As Jill says – we are constantly bombarded with these images of perfect families, neat and tidy rooms and way too much Pinterest!! I love Pinterest, but it is something to be taken in small doses or you can really overload yourself with these perfect images.
So I challenge you today, as well as myself – to take a reality check. I know that I miss so many of the moments of motherhood because I allow my emotions to carry me or I put too much on my ‘to-do’ list.
How can you be present in a way that perhaps you were yesterday?
Remember, you are not alone – there are many of us here together – all sharing in this journey of imperfection. We need to celebrate together and fight off perfection.
Did you download the discussion questions for this weeks chapter? You can do that HERE. Grab a notebook to place them in or jot them down in a journal.
Feel free to answer this question here on the blog:
What one-word emotion listed in Chapter One can you relate to? Or do you have another to add to the list? If you would like to share a bit more as to why that particular word resonated, please do. I will be praying for each of these comments posted.
