An introduction to the passion behind this space
Hi.
Welcome.
Thanks for stopping by and pulling up a chair.
I thought I'd open this very first blog post with a little bit about what to expect when you show up here. And my hope is that I can provide a place of encouragement and also solitude for anyone who happens to stop by this space. Let me be clear. My inspiration for the words I write are to truly empower the family unit, specifically all the mothers out there, who are navigating this life and wondering if they're doing anything right. The working moms, the SAH moms, the young moms, the less-young moms, the confident moms, the resentful moms, the busy moms, the lonely moms, the room-mom moms, and all the moms in between.
I'll address this in a later post, but motherhood has recently been redefined by our culture. Inadvertently and over time, the job description has been modified and not in a life-giving way. Everywhere I look, I see mothers looking for validation. I see mothers seeking their identity in their role and coming up short.
I know because I've done it too.
It's heartbreaking really. The message of how important motherhood truly is has been lost in the balance. Whenever we visit my in-laws, my father-in-law always makes a big fuss about how I am the one doing the most important thing in our home. I'm the backbone. I'm the foundation. It's a message I never hear so it's balm to my heart, but also a bit hard to believe.
I stopped working after our first child was born and haven't been in the workforce outside of my home for almost 7 years now. Multiple times in those past seven years, I will find myself restlessly looking for something else, thinking that surely I need to be doing more. And how certainly I should be using my higher education to contribute to the world in a meaningful way. But it's a lie.
And the lies are whispered to mothers working outside the home too. They're a different brand of the same lie. You're not enough. You're not doing it right. Other people can handle more than you can...and so on, and so on. We all have lies that are whispered to us to steal our contentment, discourage and distract us.
So here's what we're doing here. We're speaking truth...over and over and over.
And then again.
We're also going to celebrate motherhood and all the beautiful things about it. We'll have practical ways to reclaim the word "motherhood" and discuss what our true role is. A huge thing will be pursuing and teaching kindness within our homes. We'll also dive into ways we've failed, which might sting, but friends, purging is always necessary before redemption.
The lens
Whenever I read someone else's words, I find it is crucial to think about where the writer is coming from personally. What is the lens through which they are writing? How do they see the world and really, what is their intention or purpose? And I don't think we do that very much anymore. We think about it from our own perspective and whether or not we agree. As a writer, this is pretty terrifying because of how people respond when they don't agree. This fear has certainly prevented me from writing publicly in the past but I also heard a quote that the only way not to offend anyone is to never do anything.
And we've already established that none of us want to do nothing.
So here's the lens through which I see the world and that will influence my writing. I understand that it's not the lens of everyone else and that can be really beautiful.
Jesus Christ is my great, first love. He's my Savior, redeemer and rescuer. When I read about what he's done for us, my mind pictures the greatest love story of all time with me as the receiver.
I'm a Texas girl in every way that the title affirms
I'm a registered nurse by profession, but as stated earlier, have been home raising babies since 2012. I love nursing, but I love the opportunity to stay home with these babies and feel it's one of the greatest privileges.
I think the enneagram is wonderful and I will reference it as I write. If you haven't done it, go here.
I love writing. At any given time, I've got a paragraph or two floating in my head that I'm writing and re-writing. Writing is therapeutic for me and a signal of health and balance.
I'm a recovering people-pleaser. I want everyone to love and agree with everything I think and write. It's hard for me to accept criticism and I hate conflict.
I love adventures and making small things into big things. Celebrations are what life is all about. But I'm also easily distracted so I need new things and quick projects to preserve my interest. Basically, I'm kind of still a child.
I'll wrap up here and hopefully you've got an idea of "What" this place is all about. I'll share more about "My Why" in my next post. I hope you're excited about this space and all the ideas I have to make it a blessing in YOUR life.