I came across this yesterday, and I wish I knew who to give credit to, because it’s a beautiful heart behind all this.
It’s for those of us in the thick of it with kiddos and parenting and messy houses, when we feel like we’re getting nothing done ~ to sit, to drink deeply of this bit we call life, to treasure what really truly matters.
I was blessed and encouraged and I hope you are too!
// blueberry picking with the kiddos //
// he’s walking everywhere! //
_________________________________________________________________
// Edited: someone so kindly informed me that this was written by Lisa, of LisaJoBaker.com. All credit to her for the following beautiful words! //
For the days we are running… on empty. For the days we just don’t think we have it in us to read one more story, play one more game of Uno, wash one more round of sheets. For the days when we think everyone else has it together. For the days we’re sure anyone else would do this job better.
For those days. You know the ones.
Repeat after me:
1. I shall not judge my house, my kid’s summer activities or my crafting skills by Pinterest’s standards.
2. I shall not measure what I’ve accomplished today by the loads of unfolded laundry but by the assurance of deep love I’ve tickled into my kids.
3. I shall say yes to blanket forts and see past the chaos to the memories we’re building.
4. I shall surprise my kids with trips to get ice cream when they’re already in their pajamas.
5. I shall not compare myself to other mothers but find my identity in the God who trusted me with these kids in the first place.
6. I shall remember that a messy house at peace is better than an immaculate house tied up in knots.
7. I shall play music loudly and teach my kids the joy of wildly uncoordinated dance.
8. I shall remind myself that perfect is simply a street sign at the intersection of impossible and frustration in Never Never land.
9. I shall embrace the fact that in becoming a mom I traded perfect for a house full of real.
10. I shall promise to love this body that bore these three children out loud, especially in front of my daughter.
11. I shall give my other mother friends the gift of guilt-free friendship.
12. I shall do my best to admit to my people my unfine moments.
13. I shall say sorry when sorry is necessary.
14. I pray God I shall never be too proud, angry or stubborn to ask for my children’s forgiveness.
15. I shall make space in my grown-up world for goofball moments with my kids.
16. I shall love their father and make sure they know I love him.
17. I shall model kind words to kids and grown-ups alike.
18. I shall not be intimidated by the inside of my minivan this season of chip bags, goldfish crackers and discarded socks too shall pass.
19. I shall always make time to encourage new moms.
20. I shall not resent that last call for kisses and cups of water but remember instead that when I blink they’ll all be in college.
… with love from one tired mother to another.
Be encouraged to BE today before the Lord, not only DO.
Happy Day!
~clarita
Love the picture of Hudson stuffing his mouth full of blueberries…precious!
Thank-you for the reminder of what mothering & life is really about!
I loved those pictures of Hudson too! He just was too cute that day. :)
Oh! I really need to get out and take more pictures! i love how you capture the beauty of living and children with your camera!!
love that list- numbers 13 and 14, I think are key to this mothering thing that i so often fumble at. It’s when I get to the place that I am too proud or angry to ask for forgiveness that I realize that something definitely needs to change.
I am so far from getting this parenting thing perfect either. Who would have ever known it would be the hardest thing we’ve ever done! Other moms always made it look so easy!! :) But how it presses me to Jesus, because I realize there is NO way I can do this right and well without His empowerment. Hugs from a fellow mom in the trenches! xo
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by, Aimee!
Clarita, that is beautiful!
Thanks, Annie! Credit goes to Lisa Jo Baker, I learned! I’m so grateful for her beautiful words.
God only knows how much I needed to hear this today.
A big hug to you, Maria! And remember, “He gently leads those with young [children]…” I love that promise! xo
beautiful pictures and thank you for the reminder that it is OK not to be perfect!
It’s so hard to give up our imperfect ideas of perfection, isn’t it?! This was such a great reminder for me too…
Such a great reminder for these busy summer days… Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the numbered reminders. I have perfectionist tendencies and need to be reminded to just live sometimes. :) Btw… your kiddos are adorable!
I have perfectionistic tendencies as well, so I can relate with you there!… and I’m learning that just does not work so well in parenting! I am right there with you in just learning to LIVE and enjoy the moments, however imperfect and messy. xo
What a sweet post! Your example of loving and seeking God speaks to me… thank you!
Thanks for sharing this. I needed that. I’m putting that somewhere on my wall where I can read it every day. That’s how often I need to be reminded:) I love reading your posts. I’m thankful you have time in the midst of mothering to blog. You encourage me. Keep it up!
Mirta, what a treat to hear from you! I need to print this list out too, and look over it daily too! I’m right there with you in needing to be constantly reminded what really matters in these busy days of precious crazy little kiddos…
I really like that.. Now to just put it to practice a whole lot more!! :) Adorable blueberry picking pictures..
Love those blueberry picking babies.
Oh Clarita! The pictures are priceless. Don’t you just want to print them out and frame them all!! So pa-recious.
The list. I would love to get permission to copy the words and do something with it as a visual for myself – as a reminder. To live this out is the deepest longing of my heart!! You put it into words so beautifully. You are wrapped in beauty. God bless you richly for sharing this!!
Yes! I do want to print them all out!! I just need a bigger house! :)
And the list does not come from me! Someone told me it comes from Lisa Jo Baker, and I am so grateful to her for her beautiful words! She put into words what I so needed to be reminded of! xoxo
The words are so beautifully written and true! I want to print them out and hang them somewhere as someone mentioned! And your children . . . oh. how. i. love. them. I just feel these little ties to them and Ruth’s three . . . and the whole lot of us are together so rarely! I came across those way-back pictures of the three of us in Carters shopping with our firstborns the other day. I just had to stop and stare. In awe of how quickly time moves . . . and wishing for more together-days.
Oh, and like I said in the last post, I think. Your pictures of everyday moments re-inspire me to carry my SLR around a whole lot more again. :)
Oh Shelly… I feel the same way about your dear children! Even though I’m not related at all, they still feel kind of like my nieces and nephew, and I just love that! :) And that Carter’s shopping trip… wow, what a precious memory. Who would ever have known that just a few years later it’s just a memory? xo
ah yes. for those days. because we ALL have them.
i love this little encouragement.
and, these blueberry picking pictures are just darling.
happy week to you friend!
♥
Yes indeed… We DO all have those days! Happy week to you too! xo
I’ve got this list hanging on my fridge. It is written by Lisa Jo Baker of lisajobaker.com. I think it is included in her free ebook, The Cheerleader for the Tired Mom. She has a great printable with this list.
Your blog is a blessing to me!
Thank you SO much for letting me know where I can give credit for these beautiful words! I am so glad to be able to put a name with who wrote this! And thank you for your kind words too. ♥
first off.. love love the pictures! the light is just gorgeous and makes them seem fairy-ish. i can’t believe hudson is walking! he’s growing up way too fast and i’m just a friend watching from miles away – i can imagine how mama feels! :))
i had first read that post by lisa jo last year or whenever it was when she wrote it and actually linked it in a post of mine because it had so ministered to me. i had forgotten about it and to tell you how much i needed it again, when i read it here i didn’t even recognize it as the same.. that’s how dry and needy as a mom i was feeling! i just lapped it right up.
my little girls were at my parents all last week and i missed them so much. now.. a few days having them back and i’m already feeling the stress and exhaustion that just seems to follow us as moms around. i’ve even closed my eyes a few times trying to get back to that feeling of so desperately missing them last week.. but somehow, when someone’s crying because she wanted peanut butter and jelly for breakfast and someone else doesn’t want to share bouncing on the trampoline. and there’s spilt everything and messes and more laundry and way more chaos… yeah, it’s hard to remember that feeling. ;)) so – the timing of reading “the tired mother’s creed” was perfect! i need to print it and hang it up somewhere to say to myself often~
thanks for sharing. hope you have a wonderful week. xo
I just love your comments, Amber! I feel like we’re having a conversation, and I love it. :) Yes – Hudson walking is unbelievable to me too. This was the fastest year of my life!! It’s such a fun stage right now, but I’m always a bit sad when they keep growing SO fast and there’s nothing I can do to stop it! :( And that’s funny ~ I’m sure I read your link back then, because I read all your posts, I think! But I didn’t remember it either. Funny how things can speak to us all over again, and how we need to keep being reminded!
Oh, Clarita!
How I’ve missed you! This summer has been crazy and I haven’t been able to keep up with my blog reading like I wanted to. However, today I made up my mind I was going to catch up! You cannot imagine how this blog post made me feel. I do not have children of my own, but working as Summer Camp Coordinator in charge of 50+ kids everyday definitely wears me out and makes me feel like my life is an unsuccessful mess. This post changed my perspective! Thank you so much for sharing! And HAPPY SUMMER!!!!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Sarah! So good to hear from you again! What a busy summer you’ve had… I did summer camps as a counselor for several summers before I got married, and is it ever a challenge!! Blessings on you, and happy summer too!
I read this when you posted and am just getting around to leaving a comment. Oh I LOVED this. I am both blessed and encouraged by it…thanks for sharing.