Welcome to 2013! Are you ready for another year? Did you make resolutions?
I welcome each year with open arms. You know that feeling you get when snow first falls and it’s perfect and untouched. You don’t want for anything to mess up this perfect, white blanket, full of promises. January has this feeling for me. (Come February, the flawless utopia has turned into dirty snow with dog pee in it, but we won’t speak of such things today.) No. Today, I’m full of hope for this new year.
Like I’ve said before, my goal for this year is the same as last year – to BE PRESENT. Specifically with my children.
You see, it’s so much easier (and more pleasurable) for me to go about my day, iPhone in hand, rushing my children from one thing to the next and never really take the time to sit down and TALK TO THEM. To listen to them. To watch them play, and then get down on the floor and play WITH them. It’s way easier for me to let the TV babysit my kids for an hour while I have “ME TIME”. For me to hurry them to the gym in the morning, dump them in KidZone and get in a workout (again, FOR ME.)
The Enemy makes life outside of the home addictive and alluring. Because he doesn’t want to see our family succeed and flourish and he wants me to be distracted. It is a constant battle – one that I WILL win.
I know this about myself (and only about myself, as I do not presume to know what your calling is):
I am called to be a Stay-At-Home mom.
Now if you’re looking for a fight over who wins the “Who’s Better: Stay-at-home Moms or Working Moms”-battle, you won’t find it here. I’m not even going there, as I don’t believe there is a battle. All I know is ME and what works for US. I will say that it is a struggle for me to be this woman that I’m called to be. To sit and soak up this time, to engage my children at every chance, to be present in their lives, hour by hour – these things are, by nature, some of the hardest for me to do. ….While at the same time being the ones that make me feel incredibly fulfilled.
To be present requires much more than I am naturally willing to give.
But isn’t that the point in setting goals? Stretching ourselves further so that we might become stronger. Better. The best versions of ourselves.
I like the sound of that.
QUESTION: Did you make a resolution?? What is it?
splendid…lindsay
I didn’t make a resolution….yet. I think I’m going to go along with Lindsay’s idea about picking a word (or phrase) to define the year, rather than a specific goal. I’m still trying to figure out what it is…but I don’t have to have it set in stone yet, right? Maybe?
Awesome post, awesome goal! Being present is so dang hard these days!..but so worth working on. Happy 2013 Lindsay!
Wow, I love this post. This is exactly what has been going through my mind since September. I will have a kindergartner next year, but have never been able to stay home w/ my kids. I too want to focus on them and be there for them, instead of ME. Thank you for putting your faith out there for everyone. I have been away for a long time and just coming back to Him is amazing!
Love it! Great idea. I’ve blogged about a whole heap of resolutions but basically they all base around enjoying life more, becoming healthier etc.
Balance is a big focus in my life right now. I know I lost it for a while and was left so drained! I feel so much lighter giving myself more freedom in my non-work time and reconnecting with God. Now I need to (again) make sure He’s back at the center to really get that balance right!
I find myself resisting those things that always leaving me the most fulfilled as well. I don’t understand it, but hope I can focus on changing it this year!
Wow – you make such a striking good point: being present requires more presence than comes naturally for you (or me for that matter). It IS about choosing goals or missions that push us out of comfort zones, unseating those zones entirely. It is HARD to go there but undoubtedly worth it. I am WITH you on presence presence presence in 2013…and well, forever really.
Thanks for always posting wisdom! So refreshing! Happy New Years!
this is such a beautiful post! I hope that one day I too can be a stay-at-home mom, and you are SUCH an inspiration.
I love this! I look up to you so much as a mom. God has gifted you in so many ways, and I know that you are an incredible mother and wife. Never let Satan tell you otherwise!
Being present is the perfect goal! I still need to sit down and think about my goals…
I love this. You definitely inspire me to want to be a better mom, and I have a similar goal for this year that can be summed up in one word: FOCUS. Have a wonderful 2013 :)
This is the first thing I read this New Year’s morning and it completely confirms what God has put in my heart. This past semester I took on a part-time teaching job at my kids’ preschool. And even though I CAN teach and have the degree, this job has taught me that all I WANT to do is be home with my kids full time. Being a SAHM is the ONLY thing I’ve felt called to do. Now I just need God’s grace to get through the next 5 months to finish out the school year with my class so I can go back to being home again. I really just want to quit now, but I can’t do that to my little preschool class.
A great goal…every dang year! I am going to piggy back on yours. Also, my resolution for this week is to get Adrienne potty trained. Let’s do this.
You are a gift. I am so inspired by you. I am still childless and trying to follow God’s call in teaching. I pray that I am present for my beloved and for my kids. I know I’m lured by the light of electronics and the Instagram-blog-Facebook universe when there are flesh and blood creations right in front of me. Thank you for your wisdom-I’m so encouraged by you. Xoxoxo!
blushing over here! I’m not good – HE is! but thank you for the compliment!
It is hard to be present at anything these days, with the constant input of media, social media, and other distractions. My kids are in college now, so I can tell you that the time will fly by. I am spending as much time as possible being “present” at home to catch a few precious minutes before they go out with their friends.
Love this Lindsay! You are such an inspiration for the stay at home mom I someday hope to be and I love it! Have a healthy happy and blessed new year!
SAHM! Love it and I am one too! I never got to be one when Anthony was younger, having him at 17, I worked 2 jobs, then worked full time and lived on my own starting at 19, I wish I could of been at home with him. I had to leave my job when I was 28, when Mike and I moved to DC, was the best thing though, I got to be there for Anthony MORE. I know he is older, but it is nice to be able to be here in morning for breakfast with him, after school to do homework, and anytime he needs me!
I feel grateful and feel like I made up for time I never could be, still do every day. I am grateful when the baby comes that I can be home for both of them. Love you! <3
Happy New Year!
You are such an inspiration Linds, and someone I admire so much! Keep it up! I love your goal… so very important. Happy New Year!
You are called to be a SAHM, because you are gifted! Use that shield of faith of Satan dirty tricks. Like i said before, God is using you. I love being part of it too. Thanks for inspiring us and keeping it real linz!
love you, friend!
An ever present goal of my own too. I do feel called to do the work from home bit with the online training/blogging, so my goal is in finding the balance so I can get the work I’m called to do done…AND be focused and present with MORE time with them. Always learning. But like you said – that’s the point of the goal. ;)
exactly! I love you!