Expectations

Do they overwhelm you?

Feeling like you must do such and such because it is expected of you. Or maybe, the real problem is, you think you must do such and such because of your own expectations. (that’s me!)

Trying to accomplish things under pressure, deadlines, or whatever, always makes me feel stressed out and overwhelmed. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I am the one that really puts the high expectations on myself, way more than what others put on me.

And I also realize that it is no good to compare myself to others…I can look at my own life, and then look at others, and tell myself–get real! what you are doing is nothing compared with what all THEY have on their plate. And that is at least partially true. But I feel like God gives us grace for where we are at, and each of us has our own hidden struggles in what we are facing.

If you’re a Mom, you know that life is demanding. Kids are demanding. All those questions. Help with school work. Help with….whatever.

I won’t even begin listing everything that we as moms (especially if you are a stay-at-home-mom) must accomplish. And it’s not only at home, but it’s also all the other commitments–more and more, as the kids get older. Church, school, family, side jobs, etc.

There is always at least one more job that should have been done an hour ago, or a day ago.

I wish I could be the kind of mom that stays one step ahead of all of this, and keeps everyone happy.

No matter how much laundry I do, somehow, I missed that one shirt she wanted to wear today.

Doesn’t matter if I just spent two hours ironing, I should have gotten that dress out of her closet and ironed it, because she has to wear it tonight….

and on and on it goes…

sigh… it all feels like too much…

it makes me feel very weary.

Do you struggle with any of this? I’d love to hear from you–what have you done to overcome these feelings?

I don’t know if it’s because I’m “getting older” or what…but a good portion of the time, my brain feels like it’s coming through a fog….

I also realized that I have let my inadequacies and failures define me. I feel like who I am is a product of all the things I do wrong.

This is not where God wants us to dwell!

No matter what I’ve done, He loves me just as I am!

I want to make that truth soak in to my heart and life.

Allowing God’s truth, His promises to speak louder than the lies I’ve told myself so many times that they feel like truth, well it’s definitely easier said than done! It is a journey.

But He is there, every step of the way!

I believe that He takes us out of our comfort zone, stretches us further than we think we can go, so that we are forced to look to Him for strength. He doesn’t want me feeling like I can handle it on my own. In my own weakness, is where I NEED Him.

I am so, so thankful for all that Jesus has done for me, and I want to love Him more!