Splash the Puddles

This time last year, I was not winning any mother of the year awards for sure.  I think it's safe to say that I had simply "lost" myself in motherhood. The joy of raising two little ones was replaced by the drowning feeling of just not having anything left-not being enough.  My patience resevoir had been exhausted. Their usual childhood antics were too much for me. I was explosive on a small scale, over reactive, quick to condemn and far, far from the mother I wanted to be. And sadly, I camped out there for around three months-much too long. When I spoke to my closest friends about my children, only negative comments came from my mouth. I could hear myself and hear the ugly and was so, so saddened by it. But I was overwhelmed and stretched and they were a safe place for me. I remember asking a very close friend who wasn't a mommy if her other close friend ever griped about her children the way I did.  Her honest answer stung-"no, not really." I think it was ...

I love when God continues to bring a portion of scripture to my attention frequently over a span of time. There are a few scriptures that He just keeps showing me through my time with Him in His Word, through conversations with friends and family, through prayer and at church lately. I've shared before, that I have a burden to help. I want to be a helpful person, and be remembered as someone who went above and beyond to step up to the call to serve. So many times, I feel I fail at that. The desire is there, but the ability to follow through isn't always. There are so many people in my life who help me so much on a daily basis. I want to be that person. I want to help. Instead I often find myself unable to help, unable to serve, because I am tied down to my two young children who very much need me for almost everything. A few days ago, I decided to meet a few people at my church and stuff baggies for a local race where some members of our church would be handing out snack...