be kind to yourself

I don't know about you but I have a way I like to do things, my plan for the day... and then the way the usually end up happening.

Mornings

My plan: Rise before the monsters, have a cup of coffee and sit quietly at my desk, reading my devotional, praying, then answering emails and maybe write a blog, then send Tony off for work and get the monsters their breakfast, dressed and time for their studies.

The way it happens: I am exhausted from staying up late, trying to get it all done, which I failed once again, the kids get up before me they watch Sponge Bob(which I hate), Tony kisses me and runs out the door with a cup of coffee that I didn't make him, I lay in bed, pray for strength to get through the day, then drag myself to the coffee pot, read my devotional between making frozen waffles for the kids and finding Troy a pair of matching socks, the kids fight, I send them back to bed and answer some emails. I look over at the clothes piled high on the couch and decide to go back and lay down until the coffee takes affect.

Sometimes I just feel like I can't get it together. I know other mommas feel the same way. I hear them come down hard on themselves for not getting it together quick enough in the mornings, for loosing their temper, for never getting the laundry completed, for the dirty dishes left in the sink... then I see their children's faces... smiling, clean, chubby cheeks running around the playground... proof of their job well done.

This morning as I ran around the kitchen, kicking myself for not getting up early enough to see my husband, I felt him kiss me before leaving but I didn't see him, mornings when my eyes are closed when he leaves are never good mornings. I rummage through the pots and pans from the night before, looking for a clean plate for Sophia's frozen waffles, I grabbed my devotional book off the desk... reading it while heating Troy's frozen sausage links. When I opened my devotional book this morning I felt God speaking right to me "Be Kind to Yourself" was the title.

"Be Kind to One Another, Tenderhearted, Forgiving One Another, Even as God in Christ Forgave You" -Ephesians 4:32

I read it and thought, oh this Max Lucado, he is confused... this verse is about being kind to others. Forgiving one another and treating each other with kindness and compassion as Christ does for us.

As I read on he talked about how can be so hard on ourselves, yet Christ forgave us, He knows even the worst things about us. Things that others wouldn't imagine. Yet, he loves us, He calls us His followers, His children. He instructs others to treat us with kindness, love one another... so why are we so hard on ourselves?

Pushing and trying to be better, yes. But- being hard on ourselves when it doesn't happen the way we planned? no.

So, it's 10am... the kids are still in their pajamas, I'm still in mine... we need to venture to the grocery store and do our school work... this day isn't going how I planned but that's ok.

Today, tell yourself it's ok, be kind to yourself.