Time To Breathe

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When the walls are closing in, what do you do?

Photo © Steven Errico / Getty Image

 

What a week.  I was so tired!  The days seem to be getting longer even though they were really getting shorter.  The kids were not getting along.  It seemed like no one would do their school work without being told a gazillion times.

Breathe.

My 18 year old daughter informed she had to babysit all day for someone so I wouldn’t have her around to help.

Breathe

I forgot the wet clothes were still in the washer and the dishwasher still had dirty dishes in it because I forgot to start it, again.

Breathe.

My 19 year old son sent me a text that he got another speeding ticket on the way to work.

Breathe.

The baby was taking short naps instead of his normal long naps and wanted to nurse every 30 minutes (at least that is what it felt like) and to top it off, there was nothing quick and easy to make for dinner!

Breathe.

 Remembering to breathe sounds so simple, yet when I have days like this I feel out of breath.  I run from one thing to the next stressing over not getting anything done or over what I cannot control (like my sons’ speeding ticket)

What do you do when you have a day like this?

Time to Refocus

On my super crazy days, when my now older kids were much younger, I would pile the kids into my suburban and go for a ride.  We drove around for about an hour, not going anywhere special, just driving.  The younger kids would take a nap and the older kids would play games like “I Spy” while I would talk to God about my crazy life.  When we got home things always seemed a little easier to manage and I could make it the rest of the day until Scott came home from work.

Now they are older and I can leave them in charge of the little ones and give myself some down time.

Most often I would take a walk around our neighborhood rather than waste gas driving around.  But, stepping out of the house for a bit would help me refocus. It helps me to be able to catch my breath and have a chance to think about what all is going on to make me feel so crazy.

If getting out of the house was not an option I would change up our daily routine.  I would pop some popcorn, throw a blanket on the Living Room floor and stick in a movie…in the middle of the day!  This was really shaking it up for me, because I had a set routine for naps, school, meals…everything and I rarely budged from it.  With a house full of small kids, this was how I survived. While they watched the movie I would take time to breathe.

Time to Readjust 

Sometimes there is something in my schedule that is adding stress to my day that I can either get rid of or just move to another part of my day.

I am the worst at trying to fit too much into one day.  I am determined to finish all the laundry, scrub the floors, bathe the dog and get caught up on grading papers for school, in addition to cooking the meals and watching the kids.  Who do I think I am…Super Mom?

After a careful look at your schedule, you can almost always find something that will fit better on another day or can be moved to a less stressful part of your day. It really comes down choosing the important stuff over the urgent stuff.

Time to Relax

I know telling a mom to relax is like telling her to stop being a mom.  But not only is it important, but it is necessary.  Your body needs that time, your mind needs it also.  Relaxing may look different for you than it does for me.   Sometimes I take a walk.  Sometimes I lie down and do absolutely nothing.  I highly recommend at least 10 minutes of “doing nothing” every day.  Clear your mind of your to do list and fill it with the promises of God to give you rest.  It works!  His Word never returns void and will always minister to your tired soul and mind.

photo: www.imagebase.davidniblack.com

Time to Breathe

Here are a few of my favorite scriptures to meditate on when it is time to breathe.

Psalm 131:1-2

“O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” (ESV)

 Psalm 116:7

“Return, O my soul, to your rest;  for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” (ESV)

Psalm 73:28

“But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.”(ESV)

Ephesians 3:19-21

“And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (ESV)

Lamentations 3:22-26

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”(ESV)

 

I would love to know how other moms deal with crazy days.  Leave me a comment and share your take on this subject.

Stephanie Shott
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