The next time you go to your local library, see if they have an account for Hoopla. It is my new favorite app. I can borrow music and audio books through my local library and listen to them while I am driving. Although, on the same note, I feel old for admitting my new favorite app is one that gives me the ability to listen to audio books. Regardless, I love it. With an almost one-year old, I just do not have time to sit down with a book. But I do have time to listen to someone else read me one.
My current audio book is “The Best Yes” by Lysa TerKeurst. If you haven’t read (or listened) to it, I highly recommend it. The book came on the heels of another book I will write more about later, but has been the perfect narrative to my current position in life. Our little family is about to go through some good, but tough changes. My sweet hubby took a new job with more hours and I have a growing non-profit, an almost toddler, and work full-time. Add to this a constant struggle with my calendar and the word “no”, this book has been a lifesaver in so many ways. I could write about many things I am learning or many of the amazing things Lysa writes about, however, the downside to audio books is a lot of the exact details get lost. I get the general gist and eventually will pick up the hard copy to fill in the more minute details. But one line has been playing over and over in my head since I listened to a portion of the book on my way to a lunch meeting the other day. Lysa was talking about a comment a reader had posted on her blog and the line that stuck out to me was “You don’t have to be a supermom.”
Perhaps you don’t need to hear that today, but boy did I need to hear those words. In a world of social media, Pinterest, and an opinion about every-little-thing, those words were a lifesaver. They were a reminder to me as I walk into this next season, I don’t have to be a supermom. Because the reality is, I can’t be one. I love H more than words can explain. But I am not supermom. Some days I am frustrated mom. and tired mom. and overwhelmed mom. and don’t touch me one more time mom. And some days I am Pinterest mom and do-it-all with grace mom and superb chef mom.
But regardless of the day, I want H to remember I was his mom. I want him to remember I wasn’t always distracted or running around trying to be supermom. That I was gracious with him and accepted the limits on my time, talent, and emotional capability. I want him to remember my strength came from my relationship with Jesus. That I set the laundry aside to do a puzzle or play a game. Am I good at this? No. Am I working on it? Yes. I am slowly trying to let go of the to-do list and embrace a be list. Just Be. Here. Now.
Today whatever season of life you are in, remember, you don’t have to be supermom. You don’t have to have it all together. Because I bet, regardless of how you feel as a mom, your kiddos think you are super.
