I have a confession. Lately, I struggle with blogging. It’s harder and harder to find pockets of time to write, and when I do, I find that a little bit of the party is over. We made it through pregnancy, we survived the first year with 3 under 2, and now…
Now we raise. All the adorable matching outfits are tucked away in a bin. Mismatched play clothes with mud and grass stains dominate the drawers. Every day I dance around keeping enough activities going to leave the TV off. Some days we win. Some, we lose.
And suddenly I find myself in a sea of mamas just like me, trying to do the best for their kids and trying to write about it once in a while, because writing makes sense.
Literally.
Writing helps us sort through what it means to give up one version of ourselves and take on another. Writing makes us speak in full sentences. Writing is a way to process all the broken pieces of the day and remind ourselves of their whole.
I read two very different blog posts this week. One was an open letter To Moms With Kids Under 5: This is Our Time. The other was Dear Stay at Home Moms, Please Shut Up.
One redirected my day, making me take stock of the special moments I usually want to pass up because I have a dishwasher to unload or two bottoms that need changing immediately. It calmed me at 4:00 am this morning when my daughter woke up because she had the snorts and just wanted to snuggle.
The other made me insecure. I thought of all the times I sat down with my friends in some sort of harried, exhausted state, gushing out my parenting struggles like a broken toilet. Was I now the annoying stay at home mom boop booping her minivan fob, looking all privileged and disheveled in sunglasses and stretch pants?
Both posts made me realize the importance of words. Words that matter.
Because they do. Your words. My words. All of us coming unraveled, untangled as we stare at our thoughts on the screen and wind them back into stories.
But it’s how we choose to re-spin and wind our experiences that matters most. When I’m stealing a few minutes in the bathroom, reading your blog posts or your articles on parenting, you have the power to leave me encouraged or disheartened.
As a writer, as a parent, as a person, what would you rather read?
Whenever I can, I seek out words that make me want to have and extend grace. Grace that is greater than all my shortcomings and frustrations.
So please keep writing. Processing. Sharing your heart for your kids, your frustrations in the day to day. Do it with love. Do it in a way that makes me see the shine under the layers of dirt, the silver hiding behind tarnish.
Why? Because I’m here, reading. Listening to your ideas. Tasting your recipes. Trying your method for getting your kid to eat peas. When I hear that you’ve succeeded, I find a little hope. When I hear that you’ve failed, I know I’m not alone.
That’s the beauty of our social media networked lives. I may not know you beyond the words you put on the page, and vice versa. But through those words, we come together. We share a minute or two of pausing in the busy of our days, and when we’re done, we are re-energized.
Somehow, brighter.
Here at the farm, we have a few favorite g-words. Grace. Gratitude. God. Gruyere. If this is the first time we’ve met, consider yourself hugged. Really, for real, hugged. I hope you’ll join in the conversation and come back again soon!
Fellow Passengers 
🙂
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Great post Rachel
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Thanks Cassi!
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LOVE this! Thank you for the encouragement! (And for sharing my post!) You are such a blessing, friend. I LOVE your writing! Keep up what you’re doing because you bless so many as well!
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So happy to share Amber – I too am slowly realizing the way that God works in our days – namely through small, continual pointings to Himself. Thankful that our words can be a part of that!
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Yes! What you and other moms like Amber write is important! I’m a SAHM to a 3-year-old, 1-year-old, and our third surprise is coming in January. I relate to choosing between play and the dishwasher and bottoms that need wiping right. now. I relate to the drama of dinner time and bedtime. And it’s the Mommy blogs that remind me that I’m not the only one making those kinds of crazy, but so important choices day in and day out. They remind me that I’m not the only one who sometimes doesn’t have the best-mom-ever kind of day and that’s ok.
So please! Keep writing! What you have to say matters!
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Priscilla, thank you! I agree – best mom ever days are so hard to attain. But when I’m tucking my three year old in and listening to her tell me about the best parts of her day, I understand what’s really important to her – and that those are the moments worth chasing. Praying a blessing for you as you anticipate #3 in January!
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I love this post! Thank you for your kind words and encouragement! 🙂
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Motleymoments, thanks for being a part of it! It’s funny how normal days can turn into battlegrounds without our knowing what happened. I’m thankful that encouragement makes a difference!
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Thanks for sharing this Rachel – it can be so easy to get discouraged and feel like none of our words are making a difference. And I SO relate to you – I write because I can’t NOT write. It just helps me make sense of this messy life! And so I’ll continue, spurred on by your words. Thanks for the encouragement!
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Laura, I hear you! I’ve always found that just the act of putting together my words makes my perspective change – and that’s worth it in and of itself. But when we can reach others too – wow. The power of voice and connection. Amazing.
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OK, I could literally spend all day reading your blog! You have a way with words that I can really connect with. Now I’m off to make the most of this day!! 🙂
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How on earth did I miss responding to this? You are SO kind – thank you from the bottom of my scatterbrained heart!
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Thank you for this encouragement, my little blog is all about building up, inspiring and laughing with other mums, I sometimes can’t be bothered to write but God Spurs me on, ‘I’m going to sing until my voice won’t let me’ and speak, and love and listen 🙂
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Louise, keep on going! Your words and experiences are worth sharing, simply because they are yours!
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