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I’ve so loved continuing to look through all your messages about Help, I’m Drowning. I must say I’m incredibly relieved to finally have gotten this launch out of the way, but I’m even more relieved that my words have helped, encouraged, and inspired you.
The past few weeks, even without my book launch, have been full. My oven has been broken, and so we’ve been having to adjust our cooking to only using a stovetop. Then, Darcy, my sidekick golden retriever, suddenly had to get surgery and has been limping around the house while she dons the cone of shame. Along with all of that, my hip has been having issues for awhile, and I’ve just gotten surgery done on it — for the next few weeks, poor Clay will be taking care of two limping ladies!
I’d hoped to spend these months in England, helping Sarah take care of her three children. But life does not always go how we envision it.
As a young woman becoming a mother for the first time, I had all these visions of how wonderful, meaningful, and purposeful I would feel raising my children. I thought of motherhood as a gift, and it was, of course. It still is, and now grandmother-hood is another gift I am blessed enough to enjoy.
Yet, with my idealistic image of motherhood, the picture I had in my mind of my family peacefully gathered round the dinner table as we shared a tasty meal by the candlelight, I had forgotten something important: life will never be perfectly in order, especially when you’re a mother.
So many times, I wondered how I’d possibly make it through another day of homeschooling, cooking meals, cleaning up countless messes — even though I loved my four children endlessly, there were days when this thing I knew was a gift, felt impossible to control, let alone enjoy.
I found myself using “when” whenever I’d dream about what my life could look like… when the kids are older, I’ll do this… when the house is in better shape, I can finally do that… when we have more money, we’ll be able to have this… when, when when.
I was living in anticipation of a simpler season, smoother sailing, uncomplicated days, forgetting that in the process, I was still living out my life.
What I’ve learned with my near seven decades is that life is just going to be a lot of trouble, despite the blessing of being alive. Marriage won’t be all roses, we might lose out on a job we really needed, and raising our children will leave us feeling drained, unappreciated, or lonely. It’s worth it to ask ourselves, how can we survive the difficult parts of living?
With the countless stormy seasons I’ve faced over the years, I’ve found that pushing past these uncertain times makes us into fierce women. I like to think that I’ve become a fierce woman, and Sarah is, too. I see her jumping into her calling of being a lifegiver, a mother who cultivates beauty and joy not just for her children, but for herself.
On today’s podcast with Sarah, she shares with me some of her “survival techniques” that have kept her going in the midst of an incredibly challenging, exhausting season. I hope you will be reminded that you aren’t alone as we share our struggles, and encouraged that you, too, can bring beauty into ordinary days.
Books Referenced in this Podcast:
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