So here’s the deal, I’ve been sick off and on for about a month. Stuffy nose, cough, tired, etc, I figured it was just a cold. Then I woke up yesterday to some intense pain in my eye and a headache. I asked some of my blogging friends what I should do for this eye infection and they gave me a few recommendations, all of which I tried. But their strongest recommendation was for me to go to the doctor. I gave them a million reasons why I didn’t have time to go and they told me I was better off spending the time going now rather than later. I promised them that if I woke up the next day feeling worse I would go. (Side note: My husband was also quite insistent on a doctor’s visit too)
I woke up a 3am this morning with intense pain in my eye, head, and teeth. I waited until the office opened and made an appointment. Even though I spent a good part of the morning at the doctor’s office, I’m glad I went. My “just a cold” had turned in to a full blown sinus infection. But the worse part… the infection was moving into my eye. Apparently this is bad, and I was told that if my eye didn’t improve in 2 or 3 days I needed to come back for IV antibiotics. 🙁
So, why am I telling you my medical problems? Because I think there is a lesson to be learned in all of this, and I don’t believe that I am the only person out there who needs to learn it.
As moms we spend a lot of time “doing” for other people. Often times the needs of our family, home, church, friends, and outside commitments come before our basic needs. Things like sleep, eating three real meals a day (not snacking on the crusts of your 4 year-old’s peanut butter sandwich), and exercising often are pushed aside because of a more pressing need. I know for me, when I prioritize my life I am always at the bottom of the list. Now I realize that we are called to serve our families and others, but I believe that many times this translates into running ourselves into the ground physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
So, what do we do about it?
We need to admit that we are never going to get it all done.
We won’t, that’s just the way it is. There will always be one more thing that needs our attention. We have to be okay ending our day with stuff still on the list.
We need to get more sleep.
I honestly believe that moms and the military keep coffee companies in business. I don’t think I have ever met a mom that wasn’t tired. All.the.time. Yes, there are going to be nights where you are up with a sick child, or making cookies for that bake sale you forgot about, but make it a habit to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
We need to eat better.
I know so many moms who miss breakfast and eat goldfish off their toddler’s plate for lunch because they don’t have time to eat. Make time. If you have to cut up fruit and veggies on the weekends so you have something to snack on then do it. Even a peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread is better than skipping a meal.
We need to say no.
There are lots of good things out there, even great things. But they might not be good for you at this point in your life. One thing I have learned over the years is that life is like the changing seasons. Snow skiing is great in February, but not so great in June. If you have three kids under four, this might not be the time in your life to volunteer as children’s ministry coordinator at your church. But, eventually there will be a time where these opportunities can fit in your schedule. It is okay to say no.
There are no Supermoms.
Trust me, they don’t exist. And if you are reading a book or a blog and someone seems like Supermom to you, they’re lying. Or at least they aren’t giving you the whole story. Everyone is failing at something, so let’s stop comparing ourselves. We all have strengths and we all have weaknesses. When I was growing up there was a lady who I thought was the absolute best mom ever. She was always playing with her kids, going on awesome field trips, letting them explore and do all sorts of amazing things. But you know what, her house was a total disaster! She was an awesome mom but a terrible housekeeper. The comparison game does nothing but create discontentment in our own hearts.
Take Time to be Sick
I probably wouldn’t be on antibiotics right now with an big ‘ol fat eye and aching teeth if I had just slowed down last week when I started feeling bad. There is nothing wrong with putting in a movie for the kids and taking a nap on the couch if you feel a cold coming on. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? I know as moms we rarely get a sick day. There is no sleeping in or staying in bed all day when we don’t feel well. But if you start to feel run down, do something about it today. Don’t wait. I find that when moms do get sick it is usually something amazing and terrible, often because we waited or pushed ourselves so we could do just one more thing.
I’m thankful that I have a husband, friends, and even kids who made me stop being busy and go to the doctor. A mom who is constantly exhausted, run down, cranky, and sick can’t be doing much of anything well, and I sure wasn’t. And you can be sure, the next time I start to feel lousy I am not going to try and crank out just a few more projects or stay up late to finish a chore. Those jobs will still be there when I am feeling better, and hopefully next time it will be sooner rather than later.
