Working Mom < Being Mommy

Lewis is sick. Lewis is REALLY sick. After missing three days of school, I took him to the Dr. today to find out what I already knew by looking at the back of his throat: he has strep throat. Even after taking two extra strength ibuprofin, his fever was still 102 degrees at the Dr. office. He's achy all over. His throat is a red, raw, swollen-with-white-little-spots mess. I took him to the Dr. today, Friday, even though he started feeling bad Wednesday morning. I could have taken him to the Dr. on Wednesday and he wouldn't have gotten so bad, but I was a working mum on Wednesday and he seemed to feel better in the afternoon. I should have taken him yesterday, Thursday, but again I was working and I was hopeful he was getting better. Would of, could of, should of...he still has strep throat! And today was his worst day ever! He wouldn't even get out of bed.

I'm not good at juggling being a working mom and being a a mommy at home. Now that I work more hours in a week, the laundry gets piled up higher than it used to. The fridge isn't as full as it used to be. The housework is shared by more of us, because I just don't have the time at home, or the energy at home, to do all that I used to do when I was at home more during the day.

I apologized to Lewis today for not taking him to the Dr. sooner. He replies, 'It's no big deal, mom!'. Well, it is for me. I feel as if I let him down. As mothers, don't we WANT to be able to do it all, do it all well, and do it all so everybody is happy?!? Well - it's impossible. We can't do it all perfectly all the time.

I wrote a note to a mom this week who is feeling so discouraged. She has a strong willed 2-year old and feels inadequate and imperfect to tackle the hard preschooler issues. I wrote her a note saying: we as mothers may be imperfect, but you are the perfect mother for your child. I believe that for me as well. I am not a perfect mother, but I am the perfect mother for Lewis, Cameron, and Isaac. I may get it wrong sometimes, and have my priorities misaligned and misplaced, but I am still their mother and I'll keep trying to get it right.

It's good when our boys see that we're not perfect. I think if they think we're perfect they'll look for a perfect woman to be the perfect mother to their children. It's an unrealistic expectation.

In Lewis' 17 years, almost 18 years on this earth, I've almost always been right in my diagnosis of all his ailments. I've always taken him to the Dr. in good time and he benefitted from rapid diagnosis and then medical treatment if necessary. This time was different. I didn't act quickly on my inner gut feeling. I'm not trying to blow it out of proportion...I'm just dealing with my own plate of guilt.

In conclusion: being a mommy is more important that being a working mom. I believe there is a balance where we can still be the mom our kids need, as imperfect as we are, and still work to help financially support our families. I'm still trying to find that balance.....

Teaching Point: Obedience = Rewards

This week’s story out of Luke 5:1-11. Amazing! There was a time in history when crowds of people would gather around the Lord to hear Him speak the very words of God. Jesus is being crowded out - closer and closer to the water’s edge He is pushed – so He gets in the boat to teach the people. I understand - He needs His space! These eager listeners were so hungry for the words Jesus spoke, they couldn’t get close enough to Him! Somewhere in time we’ve lost that passion for the words of God, and Satan rejoices.

“Put out a bit deeper, Peter, and start fishing!”, Jesus says. (vs. 4). Peter responds with a: been there, done that. “We’ve already tried that, Jesus!” and then says, “But because you say so, I’ll do it!” (vs. 5). What “But Lord’s” are you speaking today? “But Lord, I’ve already tried!”, “But Lord, I can’t say that!”, “But Lord, not today!”, “But Lord, I’m too busy!” , We’ve all spoken our own “But Lord…” So today, let’s try what Peter said, “But because You say so, I’ll obey!” Here’s what one commentator said: “The Lord did not say how deep [to take the boat]. The depth of the water into which we sail depends upon how completely we have cut our ties to shore, the greatness of our need, and our anxieties about the future. Yet the fish [the rewards] were to be found in the deep, not the shallow water.”

Read the rest of the story: Tired and weary Peter, already up all night long from working and fishing, yet catching nothing, had put his nets away (vs. 2 – they had been washing their nets because the fishing trip was over! Fishing at night = selling fresh fish the next morning= making a living.) Jesus says, ‘Go out deeper, [Peter] and let your nets down again’. What is your answer? Have you been up all night? Are you tired and weary? Have you already tried it once and reaped nothing? Jesus says, ‘Put out into deep water [your name], and let down the nets for a catch.”

Today is a new day. Let’s listen to God’s Word and then do as Peter did: “But because you say so…I’ll obey.” Move out to the deep waters in faith, gather the rewards, share it with some friends (vs. 7), then fall at the Lord’s feet (vs. 8) in humble submission at the love He has for us and the care He has for our daily tasks (and livelihood).

Teenage Boys Walking Around in Tight Girl Pants...Not Cool!

It's just one phrase out of many that our precious niece, Kristin Baker, wrote in this amazing monologue presented by DC Curry at Granger Community Church on January 7, 2009. Go Kristin!

Teaching Point: Being a Good Samaritan

We pass people every day…people pass us by every day. We pass our kids, our husbands, our coworkers, our neighbors, and they pass us. Which “man” are you today? Are you the wounded, needing the care and concern of others, but being overlooked by the other’s busy day? Or are you the one who sees the wounded, being moved with compassion and providing the care they need to recover and move on? I’ve been both many, many times in my life. I’ve been the silent wounded who is in such need of care from others, but can’t verbalize where it hurts or what needs to be done. I’ve also been the “priest” or "Levite" who just doesn’t have the time to stop and help, or doesn’t have the “want to” to help another in need because I might get too involved, too distracted, or too late. I’d like to say I’ve been the Good Samaritan more than any of these other characters…the one who sees the need and immediately provides assistance no matter the cost to myself. But I cannot honestly speak such a thing.

Today, this week, and this coming Sunday, you will meet and greet many people. Some will be the "wounded" in need of great assistance; some will be too busy to notice; and some will see the need and reach out to help with great compassion. I’ve thought a lot of this story these past two days as I have agreed to testify in court in March for a hurting family I don’t know very well. I'm not doing it on behalf of the church, but I can do it as a Good Samaritan. I keep wondering what affect this will have on me, on my testimony. Will I be cross examined, put on the spot, and choke up on the witness stand? I honestly don’t WANT to get involved, but I feel I must. Being a Good Samaritan isn’t taking the easy road. The priest and the Levite ignored the need and took the easy way out so they could go about their scheduled daily business. The Good Samaritan was presented with a difficult, possibly even intimidating situation, and got involved. It cost him time, money, the giving up of his own resources, and great effort.

Let’s all be Good Samaritans this week, this month, this year. We don’t need to go looking for opportunities to help; God will provide them for us.

Luke 10:33, "But as he was traveling along, a Samaritan came across the man. When the Samaritan saw him, he was moved with compassion. "