Posted on July 22, 2013
For Tired Young Moms
Maybe it’s the midsummer blahs. Maybe it’s the heat. But I’ve seen lots of tuckered-out posts from TYMs (Tired Young Moms) lately. Those posts reminded me of a TYM I saw in Giant Eagle.
She was in the checkout lane next to mine. She was very pregnant, pushing a loaded cart, with her exuberant three-year-old daughter twirling all around her. The spinning child bumped the magazine rack, knocking several magazines askew. The weary mommy straightened them, saying, “Cassie, please stop spinning!”
Cassie stopped for half a second and said, “But Mommy, don’t you hear the music? It’s bee-you-tee-ful! Doesn’t it make you want to dance?”
Her mom glanced over and saw me smiling sympathetically, returned my smile and said, “No, it makes me want a nap!”
Though my sons are all grown, I remember the TYM days, with endless demands on energy which was in short supply. A myriad of “I ought to do this with the kids” ideas that vanished into “What am I thinking? I’m exhausted!” Fall-into-bed nights when just as I got to sleep, a fevered toddler came calling. Runny little noses. Grimy little hands. “Mommy, I need a drink.” And my favorite—”Mommy, I had a accident.” No matter what that meant, it was never good!
It was hard to hear the music, and even when I could I rarely had the energy to dance.
God’s Heart for TYMs
There’s a scripture verse that shows God’s heart for TYMs. Listen to Isaiah 40:11:
“He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.”
Did you hear that? He gently leads those that have young. He understands. He knows how tired you are, and it’s fine with Him for you to follow at a slower pace!
I used to laugh at the idea of a daily “quiet time.” Quiet time? What was that? Listen, TYM. He knows how hard that is, too. He appreciates any effort you make. During my TYM years I read a helpful suggestion, to buy several inexpensive Bibles and put them all over the house—even in the bathroom and the laundry area—each with a bookmark in it. Then, whenever I could grab a moment to read, I had a Bible close at hand and could quickly open to the right place to pick up where I’d left off. Sometimes two or three verses was all I got in before the next demand arose. But it was better than nothing—a soul-snack—and it gave God a chance to nourish my heart.
The message? Do the best you can. Your Shepherd understands how busy your life is at this stage. He’s carrying your lambs close to His heart. He’s leading you gently. Don’t feel like you have to do it all, don’t feel guilty about what doesn’t get done. Appreciate the newness of each day, with its chance to start fresh. You are His and you are loved.
© Diane McLoud 2013
Everytime you write something, I feel it was at the exact moment I needed to hear it. I too have felt this way lately and I really just wanted to get away for one day to have time for just me and God, but I realized that God just wants me to spend time with him in the wake of all this busyness, even when it’s hard, your right, even just a few minutes is worth it all. When I used to work full-time, I was even more drained as a mother and one day I was speaking to a friend from my church about how unfit I felt as a Christian because I wasn’t able to minister to others in my church or volunteer much because I worked and had two little boys. Well my friend said to me, “your Children are your ministry, you are doing exactly what God wants you to do right now, just be their mother, raising them up in the word!” I will never forget that, I still think about that when life’s demands are on me, when I have so much laundry, dishes, grocery shopping….. Or whatever life throws at you, I just have to take a step back and think, ” these boys are my first priority.”
Oh Jenelle, I hope every TYM who read this post also reads your comment! Your friend gave wise advice: Your kids are your first and most important mission field. How sad would it be to do all kinds of Kingdom work and lose your own children?
God’s given you a vital work in your own home. My prayers are with you—and all the tired young moms out there who are plowing through a mountain of daily demands and still managing to find Him in the midst of it! Blessings.
I am thinking this sounds like its my sister, Jenelle who wrote back to you. I have to say…. That one little statement “Your children are your ministry”…. Was like a light bulb for me as well. When my sister said that to me, it changed many things for me. I praise God for her wisdom!
When my oldest son was on the way, a friend who had two small children told me, “Your life is about to take on a new focus.” She wasn’t kidding! I’m so glad to have heard it in advance, so that when he and his brothers arrived I was already thinking of them as my personal, much-loved ministry. No better “work” to pour your life into.
Thanks for the comment, Jessica!
Very nice Diane!
Thanks, Toni. I feel like I’m reliving those days sometimes with two little granddaughters, but it still not the same. The TYM era is when you think you’ll never be rested again! Remember?