The Mess and the Muddle of Parenting Little People

In the midst of the muddle of loving little people who all have different needs and desires it is easy to imagine that it should be going differently than it is.  

Something must be wrong with my kids – they are fighting too much.  

Something must be wrong with me – I can’t keep the house clean enough and I am not patient 100% of the time. 

Something must be wrong with my husband – he isn’t seeing all the places I need him to help me. 

Something must be wrong with our family – we don’t enjoy and love one another like I thought we would. 

And the subconscious desire grows to give more energy and effort to something that will ease the lack we see and feel…

Perhaps to exercise more, to figure out the perfect routine, to discipline my kids a better way, to find better homeschool curriculum, to gain more success in my business, to scroll on social media, to find a new Netflix show….

And all of this is empty and in the end it doesn’t fill our hearts with the relational fullness we long to have. 

It is only in turning to Jesus…daily, hourly, moment by moment and offering our brokenness and our needs to Him that we will be filled.  

When we turn to Him and seek connection to His heart our longings are met.

He shifts our perspective. 

And He uses the moments of inadequacies to point to our need for Him. 

He redeems and renews us.  

He shows us the importance of our calling as mothers. 

He shows us how we can be filled with His love and then pour it out into the little one’s hearts.  

Sometimes we get duped into thinking that the real good life doesn’t have the mess and the muddle.  

But maybe God is working in the middle of the mess of our daily lives to work out His redemption, His renewal and His love in our hearts first. 

And graciously He causes that love to spill over into the hearts of our little people who need to know there is a God who loves, forgives and will be with them through every muddle and mess of life.