Do It Relaxed, Mama

Tonight we will talk about how to be relaxed in the midst of serving our families. We will also talk about how margins make room for joy in our motherhood. 

Transcript

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Good evening, mamas, and welcome back to Midlight, your light in the middle of the night. Tonight, mamas, I want to encourage you on a concept that I learned this last year from a very good friend of mine, and she taught me the idea to do it relaxed. That's what she said. She said, I am going to try to do it relaxed, whatever it is, whether it's getting my kids ready for going out in the morning or getting myself ready to go or going to the grocery store or anything that I need to do. I've just decided I'm going to do it relaxed. That spoke volumes to my soul as a mama because I can often get busy and feel hurried inside. And even if on the outside I look all calm and cool and collected like a cucumber, I'm not always that way inside. So when my sweet friend taught me this concept, it changed my life. And I decided I'm going to do it relaxed. And I pictured the EMTs. And when they show up to a scene, and no matter what's happening, they are moving with the speed they need, but they are not rushed, instead, they are under control. And I thought, my kids need me to do that. They need me to meet their needs and meet them where they're at, but I can do it relaxed. I don't have to feel flustered and rushed and hurried inside. I can have peace in my heart. I can have a chance to slow my feet and my body movements, and I can meet my children where they're at with peace and love and respect for them and for me. And I realized that that wasn't the way I had been doing it for a long time. And when I found my new groove, I found that I was a more joyful mama because I created this opportunity in my days to move intentionally to meet the needs kindly and joyfully. I also found that when I created margins in my life, I was a more joyful mother. You see, margins are magical, they create the nice buffer between one thing to do and the next because it's not hurried and you can do it relaxed. In fact, on this Monday today, I really enjoyed my children because I personally take Mondays as a reset day in my home and in my life. I work very hard and I know that it is a wonderful thing to pour into people and our home and our lives as mamas and even our communities. But sometimes we need some time to rest and reset. So my Monday is that way. So today I was able to take my kids to the park. I was able to fill some little library baskets around town. We have little libraries that you can put books in and people can take them for free. So my kids and I went around town and we delivered that along with my good friend who wrote along. And we even got french fries at the drive-thru. You see, when there's margins, there's time for you to pour in in ways that are special and meaningful and relaxed. My Monday is a margin. It's really the only margin I have at the moment because my life is so beautiful and so full. And I know you probably feel that way too, mamas. Your life is so full taking care of this baby and maybe other babies and children that are growing as well. But what a beautiful opportunity for us to reset our lives, to be present, to do things relaxed when we create margins. What do I mean when I say margins? You probably figured it out by now, but I mean creating space in your life and in your day and in your night where you have opportunities to serve your families unhurried, not feeling rushed and intentionally. So tonight, mamas, I want to encourage you to create margins in your day, to do it relaxed, to show up for your families with joy, because like we talk about, the way we mother matters. We are affecting generations and we are legacy levers, and the way we do these things, they matter. We can make the dinner, we can make the bottles, we can clean the clothes, we get a choice, we can do it with an attitude of gratitude and joy, or we can do it flustered and hurried and angry even, but that doesn't lead the legacy that we're looking to leave, does it, Mamas? So tonight I want to encourage you with the scripture. In Isaiah 26 in verse 3 it says, You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. And I think to myself, that is the way that we do it relaxed. We keep our mind stayed on the Lord, and he will keep us in perfect peace. So no matter what you are doing and all the tasks that lay ahead of you, or even in this very night, you can do it relaxed, mama. You can do the things that you are called to do as you keep your mind on him, because he will keep you in perfect peace. That is a beautiful promise, and one as mama's need. I do understand the things that pull, I understand the responsibilities that we have, but I also believe that the Lord wants us to have joy in our motherhood, and he wants us to have peace in our nights and in our days. And this is the best way I know how to share with you to do it is to keep your mind on God, put him first, and these things will come along, one of which is peace. Remember we talked about the other day, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew six in verse thirty-three says that it's also where God tells us not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. And one last practical tip I want to leave with you tonight, Mamas, is the idea of taking out of your life things that are not adding to it. So if you have too many books like we did, find a place to pass them along. As we get rid of the things that we don't need, it gives us opportunities to focus on the things that need our attention. For me, if I have too many things in my home, it distracts me. So I have to sometimes choose to simplify, get rid of clothes that don't work anymore, get rid of books that aren't being read anymore, and also give away toys and things that no longer serve their purpose in this home. You will find margins in your life as you simplify things like this. I have anyway. So mamas, tonight I want to leave you with a blessing. May the Lord bless you and keep you, make his face to shine upon you, be gracious unto you and give you peace. That's number six, twenty four twenty six. And remember, mamas, do it relaxed. Whatever that is for you, you know. And until next time, take care.