Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Calm in the Storm

Posted by Tracy Wainwright at 8:47 AM
Have you ever had a storm in your house? We've had a real storm. We thought we lived on high ground until Hurricane Isabel caused the river and canal met in our yard. We always wanted waterfront property, but this wasn't what we had in mind. During the storm we anxiously watched the water rise far above where we ever thought it would go. We even began moving furniture upstairs. It was not a very calm day in our house. We survived Isabel and fared much better than many of our neighbors.

There's been many days since that one that it has felt like we were hunkered down in a storm. Although, these storms are generally less destructive than a real hurricane (generally, I said) but much more emotional. These are the storms that come from tired, frustrated, and/or stubborn children. Since young children don't yet have the skills to temper their reactions to things, the smallest upset can turn into a fierce storm in a heatbeat. As a new mom, these storms often took me by surprise and threw me off course like a dinghy in the ocean.

Now I handle these storms much better. I always new that my children needed me to be calm and consistent as they lost it. But knowing and doing are not always the same. So what has helped me stay calm in the storms of mommyhood? Mostly a lot of time with my face on the floor and my eyes looking up. Instead of dwelling in the bad places I learned to throw myself on the floor and beg for strength from God. I also recognized that part of the problem was my short temper, so I did intensive Bible studies on this topic, as well as a few others. Over time, as I studied God's Word and began to rely on Him more, He provided me with the tools I needed to be the mom He designed me to be and that my kids need me to be.

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Calm in the Storm

Have you ever had a storm in your house? We've had a real storm. We thought we lived on high ground until Hurricane Isabel caused the river and canal met in our yard. We always wanted waterfront property, but this wasn't what we had in mind. During the storm we anxiously watched the water rise far above where we ever thought it would go. We even began moving furniture upstairs. It was not a very calm day in our house. We survived Isabel and fared much better than many of our neighbors.

There's been many days since that one that it has felt like we were hunkered down in a storm. Although, these storms are generally less destructive than a real hurricane (generally, I said) but much more emotional. These are the storms that come from tired, frustrated, and/or stubborn children. Since young children don't yet have the skills to temper their reactions to things, the smallest upset can turn into a fierce storm in a heatbeat. As a new mom, these storms often took me by surprise and threw me off course like a dinghy in the ocean.

Now I handle these storms much better. I always new that my children needed me to be calm and consistent as they lost it. But knowing and doing are not always the same. So what has helped me stay calm in the storms of mommyhood? Mostly a lot of time with my face on the floor and my eyes looking up. Instead of dwelling in the bad places I learned to throw myself on the floor and beg for strength from God. I also recognized that part of the problem was my short temper, so I did intensive Bible studies on this topic, as well as a few others. Over time, as I studied God's Word and began to rely on Him more, He provided me with the tools I needed to be the mom He designed me to be and that my kids need me to be.

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