Grace // Guest Post from You Are More

Alessandra is a dear blogging friend (with a beautiful name!) who shares her heart for Jesus over at You Are More. I love reading her sweet heart for the Lord, and I've especially enjoyed watching the Lord touch her heart as she prepares for her first baby in just one short month! Alessandra and her husband are expecting a little boy--and I couldn't be more excited for them! Enjoy Ally's sweet words of wisdom...

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I was so honored that dear Sarah asked me to do our guest post for her during her time off with her precious newborn little girl. I had the hardest time deciding what I should share on her corner of blog-land but God finally pressed something on my heart and I knew it was exactly what He wanted me to share. Approaching being a new mom myself, I knew this was something I was going to need to learn, and I thought what a good reminder it would be for anyone. I hope it encourages you!

Have you ever found yourself beating yourself up at the end of the day because you didn’t accomplish everything that was on your to-do list? Or maybe you find yourself in a really discouraging spot and can’t seem to see it getting any better for you. Have you ever felt like you just weren’t good enough?

I believe that we all feel like this at least once during our lifetime. It may not be exactly what I listed above, but there is something that we find ourselves feeling down for not measuring up to.

I believe that God wanted me to remind you today, and myself, that we all need a little grace. Sometimes we need more than a little grace, and there is nothing wrong with that.

I’ve been learning a lot about this the past few months. Some days I find myself beating myself up at the end of the day because I didn’t get all that I wanted to get done completed that day. Not because I wasn’t trying, but because I just ran out of time. Sometimes I go to bed with a long list of things I plan to do the next day, but I have a sleepless night due to indigestion or the baby being to active that I wake up completely exhausted and don’t have the energy to tackle my to-do list. I beat myself up for not taking more substituting phone calls this semester when I know the extra money would help. I am hard on myself for forgetting things so easily right now and not being able to remember or focus on anything when I used to be so much better at it. If any other person was facing the same thing I would be quick to encourage them saying, “It’s okay you didn’t sleep well your body needs the rest.” Or “your pregnant right now, don’t push yourself too hard, give yourself a little grace.” But yet, I can’t seem to justify giving myself the same grace.

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe that it’s important to discipline ourselves, and I believe it’s important to be diligent and proactive with our time. But today, I believe that God wants me to remind you that it’s okay to give yourself some grace.

It’s okay that it took longer on one project today that you didn’t get everything else you wanted done. It’s okay that you had a sleepless night and you can’t muster up enough energy to do much more than sit on the couch or make sure your kids are fed for the day. It’s okay if you missed that extra job call because God is still your provider anyways. It’s okay if you didn’t do as well at work today as you had wanted. It’s okay that your toddler was running around the house all day because your newborn baby took some extra attention. It’s okay that your house is completely in order right now. It’s okay that you didn’t know exactly what to say in that situation, or what to do when that unexpected event happened today. It’s okay to give yourself a little grace, because sometimes we need it. We’re not perfect people, we never will be. I challenge you to extend some grace to yourself today. We don’t have to be superwoman, supermom, super-wife, or super-employee. We’re human, and sometimes we all need a little grace.

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Hard

This week has been rough. Last week, I handled two kids solo, had some kind of dinner on the table each night, and had dishes under control. This week--well, how many times can you eat pizza before you turn into a pizza? Maybe some of the adrenaline has worn off. Maybe somehow the babies are more demanding this week than last. Heck, maybe it's just week three and I just had a baby and I'm exhausted.

By so many accounts it could be so much worse. Our baby girl is beautiful and such a good baby--she almost literally just sleeps and eats. And while LL is a typical almost-two-year-old who needs loads of attention, he really is a good egg (as long as I remember to feed him). And my husband has been doing his best to pitch in whenever work allows.

It's just that--ya'll, this is hard!

If you're a mom, you know. It doesn't mean it's not worthwhile, it doesn't mean it can't be done, it doesn't mean we're not going to survive or that things aren't going to get better--it just means it's hard.

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He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.

-Isaiah 40:11 

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Blessing a New Mom // Guest Post from Jellibean Journals

I found Jelli and her sweet little family via Jelli's Mommy Brain Mixer and have enjoyed her fabulous recipes and smart child-raising tips ever since! She so graciously agreed to share some great ideas for blessing a new mom--and after reading her post, I've decided I wished she lived a little closer ;). Enjoy her great ideas, and then go check out her awesome blog!

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Having a new baby in the house is a blessing, but it's also hard work round the clock. Although they might not admit it, new moms love pampering and having a friendly face around for those long hours of rocking the baby. If the family already has children, you can more than bet that mama will be smitten to have an extra set of hands on deck. Housework and babysitting rank high on the wishlists of most mothers and are a good start. Here are a few more ideas to jump start your helping out a new mom.

 

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Fill Her Belly Go all out and bring the family an entire meal complete with utensils and a large pitcher full of iced sweet tea. Don't forget dessert! If you're not Julia Childs in the kitchen, a pizza voucher works well too!  
Encourage Her Purchase a pretty notebook and fill it with encouraging quotes and notes for the new mama. Accentuate the notebook by tying on a handcrafted pen.

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Provide Pregnancy Prohibitionary Fare Many mothers forgo on culinary delicacies like sushi, soft cheeses, and champagne during pregnancy. Cater to mom's post-partum cravings and show up at the door with her favorite fare that she hasn't consumed in nine entire months.  

Entertain Gift a new mom a month of Netflix, a season of her favorite show, or a DVD that she's been keen to see. Chances are, she'd love a little distraction during feeding times.

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Play Nurse Fill a colorful basket with medicine cabinet staples for both the new mom and her baby. Things to include: Gas-X, baby pain-reliever, breast creams, diaper rash cream, hair ties, eye drops, baby nasal aspirator, thermometer, etc.

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Gift It Who doesn't swoon for a personalized gift basket? Think long and hard about the mama's preferences and consider a glam basket decked out with some of the following items:

• Dry shampoo- who has time to shower anyway?
• Fuzzy socks or slippers- pamper those toes!
• Hand cream- Hourly diaper changes rub hands raw.
• Lavender soothing candles
• Magazines & reading material
• Muffins- perfect for anytime!
• Late-night snacks (granola bars, juice boxes...)
• Lip gloss or chap stick
• Nail polish- she's probably been wearing nude nails for nine months.
• Nursing top- I live in these most days.
• Nursing (& feminine) pads
• Snacks & treats for the bigger children

Check out even more creative & unconventional ways to brighten a mom's day:
Ways to Bless a Mom from Our Family for His Glory
Bringing Baby Home: 30+ Ways to Bless a Family by Erika Dawson
18 Ways to Help a New Mom by The Mommypotamus
10 Scriptures for New Moms {Printable!} from Jessica June.

    

Jelli blogs about mommyhood, DIYs, and baking over at Jellibean Journals. She’s a semi-SAHM in Costa Rica, loving on her little brown-eyed girl and praising God for the opportunity to work for Him alongside her specTACular husband. To make a long story short, her Prince Charming is a Tico, and they’ve made their cozy castle casa in the tropics…for now. Blog//Twitter//Facebook//RSS

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