Taking Care of Mom

Two children ordered their mother to stay in bed one Mother’s Day morning.  As she lay there looking forward to breakfast in bed, the smell of bacon floated up from the kitchen.  After a good long wait, she finally went downstairs to investigate.  She found them both sitting at the table eating bacon and eggs.  One of the kids explained:  “It’s a surprise for Mother’s Day.  We decided to cook our own breakfast.”

They had the best of intentions!  Sometimes mothers need to simply grasp the truth that they are important and loved, and that approaching each day with a can-do attitude will go a long way in helping you meet the challenges or disillusionments of each day.

In a Focus on the Family bulletin (May 2013), Tracy Lanter Eyster answers the question, “As a mom, how can I find victory in my everyday mom-life?”  Here are some suggestions for keeping positive in a sometimes very challenging world:

► Wear clothes daily that make you feel cute and attractive.

► Create a schedule that helps you stay on track, allowing “white space” for the unexpected.  In other words, allow spare time between responsibilities.

► Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Skipped meals means a grouchy mom.

► When the kids are napping, at practice or working on homework, take a nap or do something that relaxes you while they’re occupied.

► Every day must include some form of physical activity for you and your children.  You can walk, dance, or do sit-ups.  Find something that gets the blood pumping.

► Smile, smile, smile.  Whether it is funny books, funny tapes, funny jokes, or funny faces, laughter makes for a home full of good cheer.

► Reserve quiet time for you and your children—and for your spouse.  At first it may need to be forced, but once you’ve cultivated the habit in your family, it becomes a need.  Read the Bible, enjoy a book, journal, draw, think, dream—no media (TV, radio, smart phone, computer), just peace and quiet.  Even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

In Ephesians 6:2 we read, “Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise—that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth.”  Take time to intentionally honor your mother, or someone else who is special in your life, this Mother’s Day.  By so doing, you may find that life, indeed, goes better for you.

Tyler