I am completely wrapped up in mommyhood. Sometimes it’s hard to believe I am anything BUT a mom. I have a five-year-old, a three-year-old, and one on the way – I am called “Mommy” more than any other name on a daily basis.
After we got home from church today, I was simultaneously making lunch, helping Big J make his packing list for staying at Grandpa and Grandma’s this week, and unloading the dishwasher. The hubby tried to kiss me and I was anywhere but there. Isn’t that horrible?!
I love being a mother, but it can take over everything else and the truth is I AM other things than a mom. It’s good for me to remember that truth in the middle of lunch-making and lesson-planning and discipline.
I am a wife. I am blessed to be married to my best friend – a man who constantly amazes me and makes me so proud {and still tells me I’m beautiful all the time}!
I am a daughter. I have been out of their house for almost twelve years now, but I am still the firstborn of my mother and father, whom I love dearly.
I am a sister. I have one lovely younger sister. We are everything you expect sisters to be {and we’re expecting at the same time}!
I am a friend. Blessed to be called friend by some of the most amazing, beautiful women I have ever met.
I am a homemaker. Still learning the ropes, but I am striving to make this place more than just a house every day.
I am a writer. {Really never thought I would say THAT about myself. Still not totally comfortable with it either.}
And I’m sure I’m leaving other roles out…
I don’t make this list to overwhelm myself, although thinking of all these roles and what I should be doing can send a flood of panic over me.
But making this list also helps me to evaluate and prioritize the many roles in my life. I first went through this process while reading Kat’s fabulous ebook, Mission Statements for Moms, but it is a valuable exercise for any woman {or person for that matter}.
I am FIRST a child of God and follower of Christ. I didn’t even include that in the list above, but without that, I am nothing, therefore it comes first.
Next I am the wife of a handsome, amazing man, then mother to our two {make that THREE} boys. I am the keeper of our home.
After that, things fall into place as need be – relationships with family, friends, followed by my creative outlets and other responsibilities.
Without writing out these priorities and reviewing them often {DAILY}, I will get lost in this role or that and some roles will got forgotten completely. People are neglected, life loses it’s purpose, and intentionality is gone.
Intentional. That is the key. That is why I ask “Who are you?”
I really want you to think about it today and then be INTENTIONAL about living out those roles and priorities.
Have you taken the time to really examine who you are lately?
Please don’t short-change yourself – every role you have is an important one, just make each is getting the appropriate amount of attention, time and energy!
I am first a disciple of Christ. Next wife to Anthony. Mom to Tristan & Ike. Runner. Friend. Women’s Ministry President.
wear that writer label with pride. Some day I’d like to say that.
I have been thinking about this. However, just thinking about it doesn’t do too much good if I can’t put it in practice. So, after reading this post, I plan on printing my list out and posting it in my kitchen (since it seems like I am in that room more than anywhere else), so I can see it daily. Thank you for reminding us about who we are and prioritizing it!
Thank you for this post – we need to be reminded of this soooo often! One thing that helps me is to write out a to do list for the day or week and categorise it into my different priorities like my husband, home, children. Then when I am trying to figure out which order to do them in I can remember which ones should be most important and hopefully do them in the right order!!
Change your first sentence from a but to an “and” we learned this at church this week! Here was my sentence I wrote out for my self.
I love being a mom, but it wears me out some days! Our pastor had us change the but to an “and” realizing these are not two separate things but one thing. I love being a mom AND it wears me out some days! He talked about how we try to break down who God has made us to be. This is a way to give grace to ourselves and give it to others! It changed my way of thinking!