refill

Being a mom is draining. While our children fill our lives in beautiful and unique ways, they also require us to pour ourselves out completely. We pour our time, energy, love, creativity, patience, and attention into these tiny people. It's an honor to be the ones filling their cups, but still it's exhausting. By the end of each day, we are usually running on empty.

Moms, we must find ways to fill our own cups. When you are drained and depleted you cannot possibly pour into your little one. An empty soul cannot create a full one--to give life to our children, we must remember to give life to ourselves.

Recharging, refueling, doesn't require a weekend retreat (though wouldn't that be nice?!). After all, time is not a luxury many of us have in abundance. Over the past few weeks, I have realized more than ever that what refuels me now are the same things that I enjoyed before becoming a mom...I just have to make time for them. Breakfast with a friend, a double date, a quick night away with Andrew, going to a lecture I'm interested in, making time to actually go to counseling, a prayer service all alone, reading a really good book, buying a fun new fill-in-the-blank...for me, these are sacred. These everyday moments are where God speaks and soothes and gently fills my heart up, ready to be emptied again. I just have to make them happen. I have to make them a priority. I must realize that the time I spend away from my kids is sometimes just as vital to me being a good mother as the time I spend with them.

So take time to remember what you "used to" love, and find a way to incorporate a little of that back into your mom life. Make time to be something other than a mom every once in a while. Fill yourselves up, moms.