What Is an Ultimate Mom?

Every week, I like to inspire you with a thought about what an Ultimate Mom is.  It’s a lot of fun to consider a new way that Moms are ultimate and on the path God has created for them. This week, I have been inspired by moms who are real. They are real in the way they share about being a Mom. They acknowledge that the circumstances around us make the days tough, but the blessings of being a Mom – and our children – outweigh any difficulties they face. From friends who have faced infertility and have adopted to friends who have had children with special needs and those who lost baby – those are Moms who are Ultimate Moms – because they don’t walka round with their head down. But they walk around encouraging and edifying others to find the beauty of each moment and breath we are given.

Featured Post

This week, I want to feature Katey. Last week, she wrote a post titles: Internet and the Tired Mom. This post caught my eye and I must admit, it’s one of my very favorite posts.  In it, Katey shares that when her children were little – she didn’t have the internet to spend her time on. She had friends – in real life and didn’t walk around feeling discouraged. I love her honesty and integrity. Her post inspired my post The Hardest Thing about Being a Mom. I love how Katey encourages Moms to step up and out – and to look up at Jesus for their daily needs. She is an encouraging Mom and I would love for you to visit her facebook page and blog. I know you will love her open and witty posts.

photo credit: rachel a. k. via photopin cc

Ultimate Mom Moment

This week – I will admit  that my ultimate Mom moment came in a moment of total surrender.  I have been sick – really sick for about a week. I try not to share too much about that here…but, sometimes I do have to share my own weakness to give you authentic encouragement. Most of the time, when I am sick  I just push through. This week, I could not. I had to give in and just stay in bed for two days. And you know what that did, it gave my children a chance to step up! I’m still recovering and ready to be 100%, but am thankful to know that my children are catching on, they are growing and it’s so important that we give them opportunities to see that Mom is a person – we needt o be taken care of at times…  It’s hard with littles, but if you teach them and train them well, when they are entering those preteen and teen years – they will step up, I promise!

Link UP

Now, it’s time to link up – share your post and read all of the great resources created by Moms for Mom!  It’s time for you to share your Ultimate Mom moment and after you link up – share it on twitter using #UltimateMom.  Also, please take a moment and comment on the post in front of yours or behind it. Let’s encourage one another and build a beautiful community! And remember, Meghan and I are busy tweeting and pinning all of your great posts!

<div align="center"><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/momsmustardseeds/~www.momsmustardseeds.com/" title="Moms Mustard Seeds"><img src="http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac169/suwaneemom3/ScreenShot2013-03-13at94250PM_zps9e76b9e6.png" alt="Moms Mustard Seeds" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

The post Being an Ultimate Mom – even when you are sick Link Up appeared first on Mom's Mustard Seeds.

“I feel like a  failure”

“It was another really tough day”

It’s everywhere. These comments, words that are anything but edifying and I have to admit, I was starting to buy into them. This idea that being a Mom is hard and if I don’t say so, I’m a pollyanna and if I do say so, I’m like the world.

And here’s the thing, it is hard, because I make it hard. Oh, I know- I know sweet Mom, there are days where we do everything right and nothing goes right. We end up with crumbs on the ground, the laundry piled to the sky and perhaps even a child picked up a glass at the table (thinking it was salt) and doused in on their lunch. Yes, you’ve been there. I see you – sitting, smiling or crying. Because it was one of those days. And they always seem to happen when we have had the least amount of sleep…

We’re going to have them.

Whether we have children or not, we are going to have ‘those days’. Whether we homeschool, or send our children to public/private school-we are going to have those days.

Oh, how I remember my son’s kindergarten year. Getting him up and dressed in five layers of clothes with his snow boots on and his tennis shoes in his back pack (because we couldn’t afford two pairs so he could have one at school and one at home). I remember the year to follow – pulling he and his sister out of bed before the sun even though about hitting the horizon. I remember the late nights running from one thing to another. It was a challenge.

And today, while we may not be doing that, we do have things that challenge this Mama’s heart. But, I’m not going there anymore. I am taking a stand today to stop living in a world where my head is hung low and I’m feeling sorry for myself, when all around me there are blessings.

These little things that happen in my home, in your home – they are beautiful opportunities to raise up these sweet (and sinful) hearts – and encourage them to grow beyond the world – into eternity.

So, stand up Mom – let’s do this together. Let’s join into the Company of Ultimate Moms – those Moms who refuse to take the blessing of motherhood away from us. While we may not always want to spend our days washing dishes, ironing, washing clothes and that box of bon bons looks awful good.  But you know what – it will be bitter to the soul if we forget our main purpose.

My heart is on fire to help encourage you – Mom – to step up and out. Let’s take back this blessing – this blessing of Motherhood that so many want us to hang our head and walk around like we are zombies barely alive without a cup of coffee.  Let’s show our children through our words online, in real life and outloud that we love them and are blessed by them….

It truly is about perspective. God knows what is best for us and our children. Let’s trust in Him and His plans!

and today, join me at 11:00 am (eastern). I’ll be sharing here - about discipling your children. It’s something we need to do Mama. Regardless of where our children go to school. Maybe you’re like me – you were not disciple’d as a child…. and that’s ok. God has you right where he wants you.

So, will you join me? Will you help me build an amazing community of Moms dedicated to taking back the blessings we have been given?

The post The Hardest Thing about Being a Mom appeared first on Mom's Mustard Seeds.