Navigating Motherhood with Grace

[00:00:01] Speaker A: Hey, friend. [00:00:02] Speaker B: Welcome to Perspectives into Practice, a place where life's stories meet practical wisdom. Together, we'll explore how faith filled perspectives can transform the way we live, love, and grow. So grab a seat, settle in, and join us on this journey to turn inspiration into action. Let's dive in foreign. Hey, friends, welcome back to Perspectives into Practice. Today we are talking about motherhood, and it's one of the greatest blessings, but it's also one of the biggest challenges. So how do we navigate that with grace instead of guilt? Well, my friend Alanna is back with us to share her journey of learning to lean into God's grace as a mom. [00:00:51] Speaker C: Welcome back, Alana. [00:00:53] Speaker A: Thank you again. It's always my pleasure. [00:00:56] Speaker B: It's so wonderful. So another fun fact about you is that you have played tennis your whole life. Are there any lessons in tennis that you can take into motherhood? [00:01:06] Speaker A: Absolutely. Always stay on your toes. [00:01:10] Speaker B: Right. [00:01:10] Speaker A: Always be moving forward. [00:01:11] Speaker B: Be ready. [00:01:12] Speaker A: Keep your eye on the ball, girl. I love that. [00:01:18] Speaker B: Motherhood really is beautiful. And it's full of moments that stretch us, challenge us, and sometimes question if we're doing it right. I know that you have learned so much along the way. So was there a time when you really struggled with grace in motherhood? And what did that season look like for you? Oh, wait, we're still there. Oh, that's right. [00:01:43] Speaker A: I wish that they could see my face right now. It literally flushes when I'm like, I have to pick one. I have five kids to, you know. [00:01:51] Speaker B: Right. It's an ebb and flow. [00:01:53] Speaker C: It's like, yeah. [00:01:55] Speaker B: Moment by moment. Motherhood is trying but wonderful. [00:01:59] Speaker A: It is. It's. It's really like one of those things that you're like, how can this bring me so much joy and be the hardest thing I have ever tried to do in my whole life. [00:02:11] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:02:12] Speaker A: And it never ceases to amaze me when people in my life who get close enough to the flaming fire that is our life. [00:02:22] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:02:23] Speaker A: Are like, wow. Like, the conversations that you have with your kids, the way that you talk to your kids, like, where do you even come up with this stuff? And I'm like, the holy Spirit lives in me. [00:02:35] Speaker C: Yes. [00:02:35] Speaker A: He is alive and well, and he fills my mouth with things that I'm like, I don't even know. Thank you, God. Because I am constantly reminding myself to just walk in love. Walk in love. Walk in love. What does that look like? [00:02:55] Speaker B: What does that look like? [00:02:56] Speaker A: Your teenager is having a meltdown because of. They were parked in the parking lot and it looked like somebody's car was driving by from school, and I'm like, okay, you're parked in the parking lot in somebody's car. Like, these situations that our kids bring to us, and we're like, why is this big, big deal right now? But it is such a big deal to them. And you want to meet them where they're at. [00:03:20] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:03:21] Speaker A: And encourage them or just be supportive and listen. I'm like, jesus, you're gonna have to help me with this moment by moment. [00:03:29] Speaker B: Day by day, because we've only been a mom at. Till this moment. Right now. We are learning every day. [00:03:35] Speaker A: I've never parented Camden at 17. [00:03:38] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:03:39] Speaker A: And then just because I parented Camden at 17 doesn't mean Gabriel or family or Solomon or Selah are going to be having the Same needs at 17. [00:03:49] Speaker C: Yes. [00:03:50] Speaker A: As Camden did. [00:03:51] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:03:51] Speaker A: So I really do try to ask God, hey, what's the building block for this so that I can be prepared? What's the building block from this so that I can share it with other people. [00:04:03] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:04:04] Speaker A: Because I think God is. Is a God of structure and order. And if it says train up your children in the way that they could go, like a training ground has so much structure. [00:04:15] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:04:16] Speaker A: It has things that are. That we can literally hang our hat on. We can take it to the bank every single time. This is what I should do in this situation. [00:04:26] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:04:27] Speaker A: Every single time. This is how we handle this situation. We need to have consistency for our kids. [00:04:34] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:04:35] Speaker A: That regardless of whatever crazy situation that they bring to us. What I bring to you is grace. What I bring to you is love. That my consistent responses calms the waves. It calms the storms. It doesn't matter if we are in the face of criminal accusations. We've. We've been there. [00:05:03] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:05:04] Speaker A: Yeah. Serious, serious things that are like. Yeah, they're accusations. Yeah. They're not true. But this is a storm. [00:05:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:05:11] Speaker A: This is a battle. What is my response going to be? And when you presented this topic to me, I thought, okay, there's two sides to this coin for me. I have to learn how to walk in grace toward my children when they are the storm. And I have to learn how to walk in grace toward my children when we are facing a storm. When they are facing a storm. Because they need to know what both of those things look like. As the parent, as the protector, as the role model. Spiritually, we have to show them how to face life's storms. And we have to show them how to walk in love, in a family unit when no one is perfect. And even though you're my child, some days we are. We are our own worst enemy. [00:06:06] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:06:07] Speaker A: And sometimes that means your children are gonna feel like they are your enemy. [00:06:13] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:06:13] Speaker A: When I'm like, all I'm trying to accomplish today is God's purposes for our household. And you. I can't even. It's like, all the things that could. You could do. Like, you can't help me accomplish the purposes of God in our household. And they're like, nope, Today we are tiny, you know, ninjas, tyrants, you know, debunk the fruit of the Holy Spirit in this house. And I'm like, oh, Jesus. So, yes. Walking through those moments, but those are the two perspectives that I really prayed about was, how do you show your children grace. [00:06:52] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:06:53] Speaker A: And still discipline them and still do all the things. And then how do you help them face life's challenges with grace. [00:07:02] Speaker B: So how did God help you to shift those perspectives? Because that's not something that we just walk into. [00:07:09] Speaker A: Well. And I really am a different ball of yarn in that area. For me, I can tell you. I can just share my perspective. But I was the difficult child. I was the extra grace required child. I was the child who forgot everything everywhere. I was the child who was always late. I was a child who just was a lot. I mean, I was a lot of good. I was all the things, but I was a lot. I was a lot to handle. And I remember so distinctly how that felt as a child. It stuck. It stuck hard. And there was a moment when Camden was almost two and we were potty training, and I was spatting his legs while he was sitting on the toilet. I just had this moment. It was like the first moment I had really lost my patience with him. Completely unwarranted, completely out of line. I looked ridiculous. It was wrong. And in that moment, the Holy Spirit convicted me in such a way that I will never forget to this day. It moves me, and I'm like, this is a mistake that you cannot afford to make. Like, you cannot afford for this generational transference. I don't want to call it a curse. [00:08:44] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:08:44] Speaker A: But we can transfer bad habits to our kids without them being curses. [00:08:48] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:08:49] Speaker A: And I thought this generational transference, like, these bad behaviors, this impatience, this lack of grace for another human being, just the lack of, I will not allow this in my home. And I was like, if this is the hill I die on, like, this is going to be something that I stand for. But it happened very early with my first child, and every single moment, like, at least 20 times a day. I always think of how I felt every single time and moment. And it, it stops me to my core that I don't. I generally, I don't say things out of pocket to my kids because it's like I'm talking to myself. [00:09:37] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:09:38] Speaker A: And I think that that in itself is supernatural. As a mom, if I didn't already have that, what I would pray for is I would pray for, like God. Show me your perspective of me. Show me how many times a day that I am completely unaware. Because our children are unaware. They are unaware of the grace that they receive. They are completely unaware that they are using up all like the grace bucket. [00:10:04] Speaker B: Yes. [00:10:05] Speaker A: And I'm like, God, show me how many times a day that I require your grace. And I am completely unaware of it. He will show you he is faithful. He's a good parent. [00:10:15] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:10:16] Speaker A: And if I am given that, I should also give that like it, it is, it should be easy for us to give freely what we are given. [00:10:29] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:10:29] Speaker A: I'm like, it's a biblical principle. [00:10:32] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:10:33] Speaker A: And also I want to like the Lord's Prayer. [00:10:37] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:10:38] Speaker A: Like forgive so you'll be forgiven. [00:10:39] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:10:40] Speaker A: Like, I want to give grace to my children because I know I require. [00:10:42] Speaker B: It from the Lord. What does that look like? Practically in a daily moment by moment. [00:10:49] Speaker A: Situation in the mornings, we have expectations in our household that our children set alarms and get up for school as a regular occurrence. That happens pretty smoothly, but not every day. And so there are days where I have to stop what I'm doing and I have to go do morning wake ups. You could yell from the other room, get up. I've heard your alarm. Fifteen, you know, like you could do that or you could go into your kids rooms and gently, like, give them physical touch. Our older kids, when our kids are little, they get a lot of physical touch from us, a lot of positive physical touch from us. But when they get older, we're not doing, combing their hair and doing like just getting all the positive physical touch. So I take those moments when it could be points of contention to give them positive physical interaction. So I go in, I rub their back. Hey, bud, I know you're tired. I know it's been a long week. Like speaking positive affirmations over them in a moment that could be stressful completely changes the environment of your home. So going into their room, hey, let's start our day with like, I love you. I know you're tired. I know it's been a long week, but I'm Here for you. How can I help you get up and go in this morning? [00:12:13] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:12:13] Speaker A: It seems like that would take more time than yelling from the other room. But when you sew into the Lord and when you, like, do things his way again, what you think is going to take significantly more time, it really just gets the ball rolling smoothly. Meal time is also another really stressful thing. So sometimes when I know it's going to be a stressful meal time, I will put on praise music, and I will try to delegate small tasks for each child to do for them to participate in helping that, you know, get going. [00:12:54] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:12:55] Speaker A: If they're not doing the thing, and I know that I can't. That is a moment where I pull aside a child who is not having a bad day. Because when you have five, somebody's going to have a bad day, somebody's gonna have an off day. But they usually don't all five have off days at the same time. [00:13:12] Speaker B: Thank the Lord. [00:13:13] Speaker A: Those are days where I'm like, you know what, guys? We're gonna pivot and order pizza. Yeah. Also, just as a mom, as a parent, like, sometimes Grace looks like scrapping your plan and deciding what is really important. [00:13:27] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:13:28] Speaker A: And there are days where I'm like, you know what? Sandwiches. [00:13:31] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:13:32] Speaker A: This is not working. And that is okay. Because having sandwiches for dinner is okay. [00:13:37] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:13:38] Speaker A: Ordering a pizza for dinner is okay. [00:13:40] Speaker B: Some of the kids, my kids favorite nights are make your own dinner nights. [00:13:44] Speaker A: And they're like, yes. [00:13:45] Speaker B: I'm like, bro, do you understand how easy that is for me? [00:13:49] Speaker A: 100%. And I. I just think that Grace looks very much like what is needed right now. [00:13:58] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:13:59] Speaker A: Like, really what is necessary. And I'm all for being on time. I am all for having a plan and sticking to it and carrying it out. But after, you know, 17 years of motherhood, currently, I am learning actively that that is a great place to start. And if you start in love and you walk in love and you end in love, you're gonna get back. You're gonna just stay in love. But you might not. You know, I started a meatloaf dinner, and we ended with pizza. [00:14:38] Speaker C: Yeah. Like, yeah. [00:14:40] Speaker A: As long as I start in love and walk in love and end in love, everybody gets to go in bed. And, like, we don't forfeit peace in our home. And that is huge in the spiritual development, emotional development. Like actual intellectual development. [00:14:59] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:15:00] Speaker A: Of our children. Children who are raised in those kinds of environments and homes flourish. [00:15:06] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:15:07] Speaker A: Emotionally, spiritually, intellectually. Like, it. It's a game changer. So whenever I think about losing my patience over if they forgot to brush their teeth tonight, because I'm like, okay, my two out of my four boys went to bed tonight. They didn't shower or brush their teeth. Do I wake them up angrily and make them get back in the shower and brush their teeth? Or do I lay hands on them for a second and ask the Holy Spirit what they might be dealing with at school and just pray over them while they're sleeping? [00:15:41] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:15:42] Speaker B: Like, have we ever missed our alarm because we've had a rough day? Have we ever not wanted to take a shower at the end of a long week? Because life, like. But then we give ourselves grit, like, it's okay. We'll just take one in the morning. Not a big deal. But when it comes to our kids, like, why is it so hard to just stop and take that moment and think, you know what? This is the first time that they're being kids. Today is the first time that they've been this old, and they're dealing with a lot of hard things. And so when we have that opportunity to just. And we get to choose, we choose to take a moment and say, all right, is this a learning thing or is this a. Just leave it like that Grace? Yeah. [00:16:24] Speaker A: Like, really, like, what is necessary right now? Because the Holy Spirit sometimes will say, no, you need to wake them up in love. You need to hold their hand. You need to walk into the shower. Yeah, they need to shower. And then they go to bed and they sleep peacefully because they're clean. But there are days where I'm like, again, it just, like, seeking the Lord moment by moment as a mother and saying, what does grace look like right now? Because, like, God's grace does look like discipline sometimes. And God's grace does look like letting us just have a moment. [00:16:56] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:16:57] Speaker A: And it is. It is. It seems like such common sense, but the practical application of that, really just everything for me ties back to love. [00:17:08] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:17:08] Speaker A: Am I patiently disciplining my kids? Am I kindly disciplining my kids? Am I doing this because I'm selfish and I'm annoyed right now, or am I doing this without selfish ambition? I'm disciplining them because this is what they actually need. [00:17:25] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:17:26] Speaker B: So there's something that I heard a while back, and it was about fairness. I feel like a lot of people can put grace and fairness in a. In the same kind of bubble. They're like, oh, well, if you give grace, well, that's just not fair. Like, that's. But that's not what it is, because. And the story that they shared was about putting a band aid on. If you cut your knee and I give you a band aid to put on your knee, that is what you needed in that moment. But if someone else falls and they cut their elbow and I put a band aid on their knee, that's not serving them. But that. [00:18:05] Speaker A: That's not right. [00:18:06] Speaker B: Like, it's not fair. But grace is what. Yeah. [00:18:09] Speaker A: We have a saying in our house. The same is not fair, and fair is not the same. I mean, the same is not fair, and fair is not the same. [00:18:18] Speaker C: No. [00:18:18] Speaker A: Like, it doesn't matter if you have one kid or five kids or seven kids. Every person has their own needs. And I'm like, I don't want the same thing as Sally Jo. [00:18:30] Speaker B: No. [00:18:30] Speaker A: I want her husband. I don't want her life. I want her kids. Like, oh, I want what you have for me. [00:18:36] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:18:36] Speaker A: And so in that moment, my kids are like, I don't want. Oh, I don't want my Camden. Got no Camden's. Happy as a goo. [00:18:43] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:18:43] Speaker A: But I don't want that. [00:18:44] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:18:45] Speaker A: That's not my favorite. And also, that's way too spicy for me. Like, the level of my tone of voice. [00:18:51] Speaker C: Yes. [00:18:52] Speaker A: Like, it's like you have five different personalities when you're dealing with your kids. And I'm mixling. [00:18:57] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:18:58] Speaker A: They require me to be as versatile and as multifaceted as God is. Like, I am that. I am. I am the beginning, I'm the end. I am all things. And I'm like, holy spirit, if you live inside of me, you're gonna have to diversify your grace if you're gonna be a good mom. [00:19:15] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:19:16] Speaker B: Period. [00:19:17] Speaker A: Like, you can't have this. Like, this is what I do. This is how we do breakfast. This is how we do. I'm sorry. But also. I know it seems exhausting. It won't be. [00:19:29] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:19:29] Speaker A: I literally wish so many times that if there was. I'm like, listen, if you could just take a week. And this is something I've actually prayed about but never said out loud. [00:19:39] Speaker C: Oh, accountability. [00:19:40] Speaker B: Hear it here first, guys. [00:19:41] Speaker A: I have literally thought about, like, moms, if you could take a week and just come stay with me. Just come stay with me. Just do life with me for a week. If you are in that place and you are struggling or you are feeling completely overwhelmed or you don't know how to do xyz. Because I could sit here and I could say, this is the practical application of what this looks like. [00:20:05] Speaker B: Right. [00:20:06] Speaker A: But if as sisters in Christ, if we were really doing life with each other the way that I think God intended us to, we would get to see it. Yeah, we would. Older women train up the younger women. Like, I would get to be, like, living life with a younger mom. I know that it doesn't happen in our culture, but I'm like, hey, in my life, it really is an open book. You'll get to see it. And I think that that should happen more. [00:20:32] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:20:33] Speaker A: I really do. Because you can glean a lot from a podcast, but in your life, my practical application would be if there is an older mom who would let you do that or would let you peek into her life or spend time with her, do that. [00:20:51] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:20:51] Speaker A: Like actually make time for that. Because I think, I think it matters. There's a big difference between watching game film and going to the gym and actually getting shots up and getting reps in and like getting, you know, there's a difference between, like, oh, I watched an awesome tennis match on tv. I listened to it and like, oh, I went and I, I practiced down the line shots for, you know, 45 minutes. I practiced cross courts. It is just hands on application. Like, if you're going to get better, you're going to improve. If you're going to transform your life, you have to get, you have to put in the work. [00:21:27] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:21:28] Speaker B: And surrounding yourself with those, with those people. So what encouragement would you give a mom who feels like she's failing right now? [00:21:38] Speaker A: This is huge. And people might not like this. Sometimes we feel like we're failing because we are. [00:21:45] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:21:45] Speaker A: I, I have to tell my kids this. I think we are in a season right now where I'm like, okay, you failed. You felt hard. That doesn't have to define you. We don't have to stay here. But sometimes the enemy does attack us and sometimes it, we are not failing and it's an attack from the enemy. To that group of people, I would say, ask someone close to you, hey, can you spend some time with me and can you give me some, some actual feedback on what I could do better? If you're married, that should be your spouse. [00:22:25] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:22:26] Speaker A: If you are doing life as a mother and you feel like you're failing, ask your husband. I hope that he's honest enough with you and you have a healthy husband to be able to tell you if in fact you have areas you can improve on or not. [00:22:41] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:22:41] Speaker A: So it could be that you are actually failing. If you are actually failing, it's okay. There are seasons where I have failed And I had to go back to the word, and I had. I literally had to say, like, hey, why am I failing? And God was like, you're sowing sparingly. You're sewing sparingly. You're not sewing the right things. [00:23:03] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:23:04] Speaker A: And you're not sewing in the right places, and you're sewing sparingly. So Second Corinthians 9 says, the point is this. And I'm like, oh, really? [00:23:15] Speaker B: Okay. [00:23:16] Speaker A: The point is this. The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. And the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. And it is God who is able to make every grace overflow to you so that in every way, having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. Motherhood is a good work. [00:23:53] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:23:53] Speaker A: And also, if you didn't hear that the first time, it is second Corinthians 9, verse 6 through 8, if you are not reaping the goodness of God, and sometimes you could be reaping it and really just be so busy, you're. You're missing. It just goes back to intention being intentional. But for me, the practical application of what that looks like is the tennis analogy. One thing that I did I love about tennis is like, you start at love, love, love. Like, that's the score every time I start a game. It's love, love. That is zero. I have zero, and you have zero. But it's called love love. I love that. And even, like, when you feel like you have nothing, I haven't earned anything yet. I have love. [00:24:41] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:24:42] Speaker A: Like, God freely gives that to us. And even when our kids are sitting at zero, even when they have nothing, they should have love. It should start at love, and they. [00:24:54] Speaker B: Should start at love. [00:24:56] Speaker A: And I think that really just makes. It's so simple. Is this action loving? Is this discipline? Like, it changed how I do life and motherhood and friendship. [00:25:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:25:10] Speaker A: And it changed how I treat myself. Like, how I talk about myself. Is this loving? And when I started sewing in love, because it's. I wasn't reluctant. I want to love myself. I want to love my children. God loves a cheerful giver. And what better thing to give our kids and grace wrapped in love. [00:25:34] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:25:34] Speaker B: Also giving ourselves grace and knowing and remembering, reminding ourselves that we get it too. [00:25:42] Speaker A: A hundred percent. [00:25:43] Speaker B: We get it too. And in order to pour out to our children, we have to be filled up and being in The Word and talking to God and choosing those moments to ask, lord, what am I supposed to do here? Like, those are the times that we're filling up our cups. Those we can pour out, because you cannot pour from an empty cup. [00:26:02] Speaker A: I do find myself saying the things to my children that God says to me, and I'm like, sometimes they just trickle out. [00:26:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:26:10] Speaker A: And it surprises me that I'm like, I do know where that came from. [00:26:14] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:26:15] Speaker A: When I was having a bad day and when I felt like I had messed up, I went to the father, and he said, you're beautiful. You look just like me. Just remember that time. And he'll just recall something just so simple. Remember that time you picked a flower on your walk and you just paused and you said thank you to me. That meant so much to me. And so sometimes my kids have messed up and they really have failed, and they really have been it. I just take those moments. I'm like, hey, you remember that time last Tuesday after your game, you ran up to me and you gave me the biggest hug. Hug. That meant so much to me that I was the first person that you looked for after your day. And it just helps them change gears. Like, this one moment of failure is not the culmination. It's just such a small blip. [00:27:04] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:27:05] Speaker A: In the grand scheme of, like, two weeks. And we want to hang our hats and focus on these, like, moments of failure when the overall arching theme of our life is usually good, positive, winning, victorious things. [00:27:23] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:27:24] Speaker A: So in those moments, practically as a mom, like, I try to give my kids what God gives me. [00:27:32] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:27:32] Speaker A: And it changes. It changes how they view those moments of failure. [00:27:36] Speaker B: Well, that's the shift in perspective I think a lot of people don't do is that they don't take that moment just to look whether it's good or bad. And that's honestly the. The biggest reason that we started this podcast was to. In each of these moments, in every person's story and perspective, there is something that we can take away. But we have to choose to take that moment to ask. And you know, it all. It all goes back to. To relationship. So as we wrap up, Alana, what is one perspective? And you've given us some amazing things. What is one perspective that you would encourage our friends that are listening to apply today right now in their. Their walk in motherhood with grace. [00:28:25] Speaker A: So I love red words in the Bible. I think if there's things that I'm gonna hang my hat on, it would be the red words. Luke, chapter 6. Starting in verse 37, it says, do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you'll be forgiven. Give, and it will be given back to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will be poured into your lap. So with the measure you use it, it will be measured back to you. Verse skipping down to verse 43. A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit, and on the other hand, a bad tree doesn't produce good fruit. For each tree is known by its fruit. And I feel like motherhood is like bearing fruit. And sometimes I feel like the cactus that only gets to bloom, like, once every 40 years. And I'm like, lord, every day we water, every day we like. I want to leave other people with the perspective that every moment matters. [00:29:39] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:29:40] Speaker A: Every moment of grace matters. Every moment of kindness, Every moment, like, every response to your kids. Like, you really are shaping something. Because if you think back to your childhood, there are moments that your mom or your dad or your teacher or your coach, whoever was pouring into your life, they probably don't remember the moment that you do. [00:30:05] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:30:05] Speaker A: Like, the. The giant things that I do for my kids, and I'm like, I'm gonna go above and beyond. [00:30:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:30:10] Speaker A: I'm gonna rock this. I'm gonna make this so special. They're like, wait, what? We went on what trail? I don't even. We went to the beach in 2022. And I was like, I worked all year for that trip. You know what I mean? Yeah. Whatever it is. But they'll circle back, and they'll be like, remember that one time you put this little note in my lunchbox? And I'm like, yes. [00:30:31] Speaker B: We taped their mirror and kept it for years. Yeah. [00:30:35] Speaker A: And so I have learned that every moment matters in motherhood. And when you look at the calendar, you know, all the reels that are like, you have, you know, 180, whatever. Yeah. But, like, you have so many Saturdays with your kids, or you have so many. This from the ages of, you know, 2 to 18, and you're like, oh, my gosh, that's not a lot. [00:30:58] Speaker C: No. [00:30:59] Speaker A: But when every moment matters, you really finish every season, and you have. I. I have had, so far, no regrets in motherhood. I've enjoyed it. I've soaked it in. I've been intentional. I'm like, all right. Even though I had some failures, I was 100% in. I was 100% checked in. I was not checking out. I was available. I was locked in. I Think if you're at a place where you don't know what to do, don't check out. It is easy when you feel like you're failing and you don't know where to start to check out. If you can't figure out anything else, check back in. Check in with your children. Check in with your husband. Check in with yourself. Like, check in with God. [00:31:49] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:31:50] Speaker A: That matters. And that verse again was Luke 6, starting in verse 37. [00:32:01] Speaker B: So what I'm hearing is reminding everyone to get back to the Father, to take the precious moments to take check in and give yourself grace as you're giving. [00:32:13] Speaker A: You cannot. You really cannot. I mean, it is such a biblical principle that this, like, give and it will be given to you. You cannot. You cannot give something. You have to get it from the Father. You have to then give it to your kids. Like you have. Like, these are spiritual principles that God is not mock. [00:32:37] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:32:37] Speaker A: Whatsoever a man sews that. So, like, you have to give it. [00:32:41] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:32:42] Speaker A: To even people ask all the time. Your kids are so forgiving. Your kids are so gracious towards you. When you do fail. [00:32:51] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:32:52] Speaker A: When you do forget things, your kids are so kind to you. Like, I mean, there are moaz. We live out loud in front of people and I show up to a game and I forget something or I show up to some and I, I. And they are. My kids are so gracious to me and I'm like, give and it will be given to you. [00:33:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:33:11] Speaker A: And they'll literally say, like, mom, we forget things all the time. And you, you are kind to us. Like, you don't, you don't bite our heads off. Like, you know, mistakes happen. You know, nobody's perfect, but we just try to do better together. [00:33:25] Speaker B: Yes. [00:33:26] Speaker C: Yes. [00:33:26] Speaker A: Thank God for those moments that you give me grace. I give grace to them. They give it back to me. Like, it really is just a beautiful exchange of like, yeah. Wow. We're all in this together. [00:33:41] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. This. Honestly, this has been wonderful. And I really hope that our friends that are listening do apply these, these little chunks of wisdom. There's been so many things. If you need to listen to this again, go back and listen to it again, take some notes because this has just been chock full of amazing things. So if this episode did encourage you and you know someone else that would like to hear it, share this with them. Make sure that you're subscribed so that you don't miss any of the episodes that are coming up. And remember, friend, even the small shifts in perspective can lead to big changes. Now go put those perspectives into practice. Talk to you next time.