I first encountered the whimsical wisdom of Rachel, the women behind the words at Finding Joy, a few years back when we both spoke for an online marriage conference.
One would think, raising 7 children, that her demeanor would naturally have become loud and commanding – out of pure necessity – but her confidence is quiet, her presence unassuming, and her words both profound and disarming.
I liked her immediately. And then I “liked” her.
Because, apparently, that’s what modern moms do.
We ‘like’ things in order to stay connected. Our favorite stores, cracker brands, TV shows, raw foodies, bloggers and organic granola creators. We love to gather. Because we yearn to belong.
We love to like, and to be liked.
Connection is simply survival all wrapped up high-tech social media lingo. The less alone we feel, the more confident we are of our ability to survive the uncertainty life brings.
God created us for connection – for intimacy and relationship – and never have I been more of aware of this fact than since becoming a mom. Survival here is crucial, wouldn’t you say?
Us moms need each other in the same way peanut butter needs jelly, and black tea needs milk. It’s palatable alone, but exciting and deeply satisfying when combined.
Life is just better spent together…learning, gleaning, laughing, shouldering.
And that’s one of the things that strikes me about Rachel. How intentional she is about cultivating the beauty of a life spent together, intertwined. How purposeful she is in finding joy in the little things, which – when parenting many small children – is much and many and often.
She posted these ten mindset goals for moms on her blog a few weeks ago and they grabbed me instantly by the heart and grounded me. How desperately I needed to read those words that day, and how wildly I ached for them to sink deep into my momma heart and take root.
I needed these on my kitchen wall. My bathroom mirror. My forearm, quite possibly.
A reminder to create space and find joy, to keep things in perspective and practice gratitude. To become more of a “yes” mom – as “no”s flow so readily from my lips, to pause before reacting, and to smile.
Because, while we may forget it between spilled milk and defiance, it’s authenticity and grace and laughter that captures little hearts and communicates volumes in this motherhood gig. They trump rules, rebukes and clean floors every.single.time.
I asked Rachel if I could share the printable I’d created for myself, with you…
And she said “yes!”.
Grab your 8 x 10 print right here.
Press on, mama. Parenting isn’t about perfection. It’s about daily grabbing a hold of courage, bravely taking grace for all it is worth, seeking Him in the midst of the unexpected, and embracing the wild, messy, imperfect joy of a life lived intertwined.
*As always, please note that this is exclusively for personal use and is NOT to be reprinted for resale purposes. Feel free to share the link, pin it, or head over to Facebook and visit Simply Bloom.
