Mommy burn-out, part 3

Click here, then here, then here to get caught up if you are wondering what this is about.

Another one of my tools for avoiding mommy burn-out:

3) Perspective, Perspective, Perspective

I keep a piece of paper tucked in the back of my bible.
It has a name written on it:

Jordyn Williams

Most of you probably don't know who she is, so let me fill you in. Jordyn was a little girl that went to Grey Stone...just a little bit older than my Ella. She went through a very long battle with Leukemia and finally went to be with the Lord earlier this year. Now, unfortunately, we all hear about tragic stories like Jordyn's a lot...we almost can become desensitized to it, myself included.

But not for me with Jordyn. Her family was a part of our church family. Jeremiah visited her often during his hospital rounds on his on-call weeks. I knew her.

We had just finished moving the week Jordyn died. I was trying to switch pediatricians and was very frustrated at having to deal with all the details of that stuff. I was complaining to Jeremiah about it...and then he stopped me and said in his sweet way, "at least you have the need for a pediatrician."

Yes, I was instantly humbled.
And convicted.
And I went and hugged my kids and cried.

I heard that after Jordyn had passed away her parents Danny and Amy requested to be able to give her a bath. Sometimes when I am bathing Ella and she leans back in the water to let me wash her hair, she closes her eyes, and as I look at her precious little face I picture in my mind what it must have been like for Danny and Amy to say goodbye to their little girl...

And at that moment I am so thankful, more thankful than ever that my Ella and Ezra are with me. I know my children are not really mine, but the Lords. I know that I am not guaranteed a future with them. I am not even guaranteed tomorrow with them. So who really cares that Ezra destroyed one of my houseplants, woke me up 2 times last night, and knocked over the container of birdseed all over the downstairs floor. Who cares that Ella had a meltdown at the grocery store, didn't quite make it to the potty, or had to be "reminded" 20 times not to push her brother.

Do what you have to do to remind yourself to keep things in perspective. For me it's keeping Jordyn's name in my Bible to be reminded that my time is precious with my children.

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