Do you ever feel overwhelmed...?

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? This was a question asked by a wonderful family member that I wish I could spend time with, and get to know more...I think we'd be good encouragement for each other...Well, this is how I answered that question...

Well, to answer your question...Oh I so promise you, I for sure get stressed out!

It's not easy, but I trust in God. I pray, talk to and praise Him all day long! If I don't then I have a bad day.

We have 4 of our kids Mon-Wed and then all 6 of our kids Thurs-Sun! And, 2 of them are under 2 1/2 yrs. old! It does get pretty stressful at times. But, we also have the most fun ever! I do understand the not having time or energy to do things after house work, homework, mothering, and wife-ing. But, that's when you pray...A LOT!!!

I look at it like this...they will only be this young for such a very small window of time. They are indeed my children but they are also God's gift to me. God has only loaned them to me to nurture, bring them up for Him and for His glory, and to love them. When they are all grown and out on their own they will take with them what they have learned. I want them to love the Lord, I want them to see the Lord and His love through me, I want them to remember their mom as a woman who may not have been perfect, but who loved them so very much and who also loved God with all of her heart. I want them to remember a happy me. Not a crazy, overly stressed out, obsessive compulsive, overly organized, things have to be perfect, unhappy clean freak, basically a not at all fun lady!

So, who cares if the house isn't perfectly tidy, there are toys out, the beds aren't made, the laundry isn't done every day, the dishes sit in the sink, or you haven't dusted since...well, who knows when! And, who cares if you haven't really gotten the chance to get dressed or even brush your hair yet in the morning (or the afternoon sometimes) but the kids want you to just sit and play...do it.
Sit, relax, praise God, thank Him, and love and enjoy them.

Your house will be clean and tidy...eventually...someday. But, right now your main job is to be an awesome, caring, and loving mom.

One day when they are all grown up and moved out, you will miss them so very much. You will miss the noisy-ness, the business, and even the messiness!

Now, with all that said...I do still get majorly stressed out and I often (constantly) have to remind myself that this is only for such a second in the whole entire grand scheme of things. I'm not perfect but I serve and love a perfect God. He would have never brought me to it, if He couldn't get me through it. Eventually they won't need me...as much, so I praise God for the time that I do have with them now. And, when they aren't depending on me I pray they will be depending on Him.

I thank God for my children everyday and I also thank Him for choosing me and entrusting me to care for His children.

I think it becomes less stressful when you keep that in mind, otherwise the day becomes really poopy!

Hey, by the way...Did you get our Christmas picture? Oh man, talk about stress! That was soooo ridiculous! They had to take and retake that stinkin' picture like 8 times, seriously! Finally I had to say, "Ok, that's enough...we'll just go with the best pose!" Some of the kids look a little...well, silly-ish and they're not all looking at the camera, and my hair is totally sticking out, but Joshua and Gary look perfect and we all survived and we are all alive and well and here to say we've made it! Ya, we probably won't be doing that again for a very long time! Yay, so much fun!