Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe
This was an excellent chapter about finding a mentor - someone to encourage you as a mom, friend, and wife. Someone who will tell you 'it's ok to have bad days, they happen and here's what you can do about them'. And then LET THEM... do not refuse someone who genuinely wants to help you. Do not deny them the reward they might have in Heaven waiting for them because they got to minister to you (a guy in our church once told me that!).
This going at it alone is such a new concept.....it really does take a community to raise a child. Years before families were closer together - they lived at least in the same towns and grandparents were close to help out, women were surrounded by aunts and cousins who knew what tired was and was more than happy to hold a baby for awhile so mama could nap. But now we are spread out.... all over the world sometimes and that's fine but at that point it's time for your church family to step in and take over being that help and blessing.
And then there are mom groups.... good mom groups - ones that encourage and lift up. If you are in a group and all the do is sit around and complain about their children, husbands, mothers, etc... if they gossip and tear each other down when a member is absent, if you leave feeling worse then you did before you got there. STOP and get out of there asap. These groups need to be uplifting and encouraging - they need to be helpful.
I am so thankful for this book and opening my eyes to the need of a local mommy group. I by far have the best husband around (in my opinion anyhow!) and am eternally grateful for him but I am a woman and I still need things that he can not provide because well he is a man and that's how God created him. Women need fellowship and interaction.... we need to have friends who get us - understand us.... to know what it's like to have spent the past 6 years of our lives not having our body to ourselves... growing and nurturing babies for years on end can be tiring and while we love it sometimes we just want 5 minutes to have our bodies back to ourselves! :)
I am just in the early stages of a mommy group and while I have a ton on my plate right now I truly believe that adding this to my life is going to add blessings not stress to my life because I need this. I need to develop strong solid friendship built on common ground and I am thrilled with the future of this group :)
Come back on Thursday for me to review the next chapter! I'm joining in the online book club at SarahMae.com and I Take Joy.
Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!
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You're right Jessica. Every woman needs other women to talk with and be encouraged by. And if you find yourself surrounded by women who are not encouraging, you do need to minimize the amount of time you spend with them. Find new groups or friends by trying new things. Churches often have a variety of activities for little ones (and moms come along with those). Creating a small play group is a legitimate way to fellowship with other moms while your children enjoy playing with other kids. It doesn't have to be complicated. And sometimes you need to pick up the phone and say, "Hi" and just talk for 5 minutes with another adult. That's OK too:)
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