Being a working mom is tough.
With the demands of a full-time work schedule, combined with every day life as a wife, and mom to three boys, I find myself drained at night. It's a struggle to get everything accomplished, so when I actually have the house clean, food in the cabinets and I'm not at work, I feel like I'm finally able to breathe. Everything is done--the rest of the weekend is mine!
So today, I crashed on the couch, blanket pulled up to my chin, when I saw my youngest drawing on the window with his finger. A puff of warm breath on the glass, and a smiley face in the fog.
My first thought was, "There goes my clean window."
But almost immediately I had another thought: "He's just being a kid."
Today, I made a choice. I chose to be Happy Mommy, who quietly watched her son leave his masterpiece on the window, instead of Irritated Mommy, who would have scolded him for doing so.
Every day is a challenge. We will all face something that annoys, interrupts or frustrates us. The true test is how we will respond to it.
I admit it: I have a tendency to let the negative reign in my life. But I'm being more intentional about asking God to help me find that silver lining instead of focusing on the cloud. I'm trusting Him to show me the way, and He's giving me a little joy as we go along, just as promised in Romans 15:13:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you have a hard time overcoming negativity like I do, I encourage you to claim this verse for yourself. Let God help you get a new perspective, where instead of smudgy fingerprints, you see the smiley face in the fog.
