reading these words this afternoon was just what I needed, since I like to stack duties higher and higher as my heart grows embittered.
“we are proud of our frail frames just as we boast in Christ, because our frailty is perhaps one of the more tangible daily reminders of our need for a Savior. And yet, on the other hand, we oblige ourselves to take on more than even our bodybuilder husbands are capable of. And if we hear of another mom whose stack is higher than ours, our faces burn and we bid our families “Throw one more on the top. I’m good.”
It’s treated as a given that we are to always do what is best for the individual members of our families, but rarely do we consider how doing so might be affecting the overall health of the whole family. God doesn’t even give us the best all the time. Does that sound blasphemous? He doesn’t even claim to. I mean “highest quality,” here……
It’s good to want to do everything you can for your family. But what’s best for the newborn’s belly, the toddler’s social skills, the parents’ finances, the mom’s dress size, might not be best for the family as a whole….And if pursuing the best in these parishes is draining you to the point of causing you to become embittered at your duties, it may be time to cut it back. God is absolutely not judging you for giving your kids mac & cheese and fish sticks – especially if it means you can pray “Bless these gifts” with sincerity, and not through clenched teeth. Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden is light. What right do we moms have to tell Him “I think you under-packed for me”?”
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