A Call for Rest
Sleeplessness is good for writing, and that is something to be grateful for when you're all achy and spent.
Last week, our big baby boy was cutting his top two teeth. This week, there's a lot of coughing and waking up going on, especially between the hours of 11PM and 8AM. Totaling this week and last week, I have accumulated a minimal amount sleep, and that's okay. Its okay mostly because every morning when I crack my heavy eyelids open, there is a grinning little boy climbing over everything and up the headboard. It has happened every morning regardless of the events of the night before (or early morning of) for the past 8 months-- the climbing part was new a few months ago, the grin has graced his round little face almost since birth.
But its funny, you know why? Because, instead of getting in some rest right now, I am typing this post, but even if I wasn't, I'm sure I would of found something else to do. I call it mom syndrome, and I'm not sure that is something that should exist.
Mom syndrome: when a mother does not rest at all costs, because there is just too much to do. (there really is a lot to do, but is it all necessary to do at the times at which we do them? And is the order in which we do them correctly prioritized?)
I think maybe we learn it from our own mothers. I mean, at least I think I did... partially. My mom is a immigrant, making me first generation American, so in my life I think I have seen my mom take a nap about three times, and all have been when she was bedridden by illness or a migraine. On the other hand, I have seen her sweep somewhere around 37,960 times (here is how I got to that number, 26 years of sweeping about 4-5 times a day).
Then there are expectations, from ourselves, from society, from you name it, asking us to have a perfect clean home, neat and tidy children, a half marathon ready body, craft skills, and managed hair, and that only touches on the outward attributes.
Then, as Godly women, we desire to have a strong lively inmate relationship with the Lord of Lords, Jesus, and if we're too busy doing everything else we fall short of it all.
So, here we are, over spent, and definitely under paid.
Now, I am not blaming my mom, she did, and still does, what she needs to do to keep a tidy house, safe kids, and a happy husband. Nor, am I saying mothers should not be tired, because this is not a proclamation for lazy unkempt mommas.
Big sigh, so, I sit here feeling the Lord telling me to unlearn how to do too much. I must learn to rest. Rest physically, yes, a nap when needed, an early bedtime, a piece of dark chocolate, some hot cheetos, and even let the clothes just sit there awhile.
I need to rest enough so that not everything is one jumbled mess of unaddressed thoughts and halfway intentions. I need to rest enough to be able to properly prioritize, making Jesus first. I need to give myself the chance to choose to walk in what I know. If all I ever do is jump from one thing to another I fail before I even begin.
I need to rest spiritually. I need to lok to Jesus. Gaze upon the face who so lovingly gazes upon me. He who eagerly waits for me to listen, trust, and obey. Rest on the truth that He is sovereign, that He is good, that He is constant, and that He is just. I need to make myself rest-able, so when He calls me away with Him, I will first of all hear Him, and second of all, I will go--and not only go, RUN towards Him. He wants my rest and if I let Him, He will make me rest .
Psalm 23:2
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Let us help each other rest. Encourage rest in your home.
Rest up lovelies.
**Now replace "mom" with "dad" or with "any person's name" in every sentence and you'll see that the message still rings true, so there is a problem among all. We all need rest.
Last week, our big baby boy was cutting his top two teeth. This week, there's a lot of coughing and waking up going on, especially between the hours of 11PM and 8AM. Totaling this week and last week, I have accumulated a minimal amount sleep, and that's okay. Its okay mostly because every morning when I crack my heavy eyelids open, there is a grinning little boy climbing over everything and up the headboard. It has happened every morning regardless of the events of the night before (or early morning of) for the past 8 months-- the climbing part was new a few months ago, the grin has graced his round little face almost since birth.
But its funny, you know why? Because, instead of getting in some rest right now, I am typing this post, but even if I wasn't, I'm sure I would of found something else to do. I call it mom syndrome, and I'm not sure that is something that should exist.
Mom syndrome: when a mother does not rest at all costs, because there is just too much to do. (there really is a lot to do, but is it all necessary to do at the times at which we do them? And is the order in which we do them correctly prioritized?)
I think maybe we learn it from our own mothers. I mean, at least I think I did... partially. My mom is a immigrant, making me first generation American, so in my life I think I have seen my mom take a nap about three times, and all have been when she was bedridden by illness or a migraine. On the other hand, I have seen her sweep somewhere around 37,960 times (here is how I got to that number, 26 years of sweeping about 4-5 times a day).
Then there are expectations, from ourselves, from society, from you name it, asking us to have a perfect clean home, neat and tidy children, a half marathon ready body, craft skills, and managed hair, and that only touches on the outward attributes.
Then, as Godly women, we desire to have a strong lively inmate relationship with the Lord of Lords, Jesus, and if we're too busy doing everything else we fall short of it all.
So, here we are, over spent, and definitely under paid.
Now, I am not blaming my mom, she did, and still does, what she needs to do to keep a tidy house, safe kids, and a happy husband. Nor, am I saying mothers should not be tired, because this is not a proclamation for lazy unkempt mommas.
Big sigh, so, I sit here feeling the Lord telling me to unlearn how to do too much. I must learn to rest. Rest physically, yes, a nap when needed, an early bedtime, a piece of dark chocolate, some hot cheetos, and even let the clothes just sit there awhile.
I need to rest enough so that not everything is one jumbled mess of unaddressed thoughts and halfway intentions. I need to rest enough to be able to properly prioritize, making Jesus first. I need to give myself the chance to choose to walk in what I know. If all I ever do is jump from one thing to another I fail before I even begin.
I need to rest spiritually. I need to lok to Jesus. Gaze upon the face who so lovingly gazes upon me. He who eagerly waits for me to listen, trust, and obey. Rest on the truth that He is sovereign, that He is good, that He is constant, and that He is just. I need to make myself rest-able, so when He calls me away with Him, I will first of all hear Him, and second of all, I will go--and not only go, RUN towards Him. He wants my rest and if I let Him, He will make me rest .
Psalm 23:2
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Let us help each other rest. Encourage rest in your home.
Rest up lovelies.
**Now replace "mom" with "dad" or with "any person's name" in every sentence and you'll see that the message still rings true, so there is a problem among all. We all need rest.
