Getting out the door is something that I have struggled with for as long as I can remember. In fact, I remember that my mom, my sister and I would still be primping in the mirror when my dad would be in the car with the engine running...never a good sign. My husband does the same thing, "We'll be in the car." Oh great, that just means I will have lots of room to run around like a chicken with my head cut off. Have you ever seen that happen? I never have had the pleasure of watching that actual event, but I am sure that my runnings around come very close to the real thing.
I don't know what it is, but it seems like no matter what time I get up I am always pressed for time. Where are the kids shoes? Anyone seen my keys? Have we brushed the kids teeth? Did you grab an extra diaper? Where are the kids? Did I put on deodorant? My neighbors probably get a kick out of watching me get in and out of the car about 7 times every time I go to leave. I heard at church yesterday about a mom who always prepared for the following day the night before. Now that is a great idea. Maybe it's just me, but I can barely find my way to bed after cleaning the kitchen for the 12th time. The number of brain cells that I have left at the end of the day is definitely in the single digits.
Sundays have to be the worst days for getting out of the house. Yesterday, I ironed my husband's shirt got him out the door, busyed my kids so that I could get in the shower and proceeded to ready myself for church. I have tried getting my kids dressed after my shower with wet hair and a robe on. I usually hear things like, "Eww, your hair is slimy mom." "Gross, your lotion is all over my face, wash it off, wash it off!!" I try to dress my kids before I get ready because that task usually ends up in me sweating. So, after I have dressed my kids and dealt with the complaints about uncomfortable shirts and shoes that are too small and even inhibit my daughter from walking normally, I continue with my wardrobe. I think yesterday I tried on several pairs of pants, emptied my sock drawer looking for a pair of decent pantyhose, (decent is a pair that only has a hole in the toe. How is that that hole grows into a run that goes from toe to waist by the time you arrive at church??) and ironed my own shirt only to find that the design from the metal in the ironing board was permanently impressed in the fabric. Ugh.
I had called my sister to wish her a Happy Mother's Day. When she returned my call my son was screaming and my daughter was wining. My son ended up crying so hard that he threw up on the bottom stair. My daughter asked me about 18 questions about why her brother was throwing up and I still couldn't find my shoes. I rushed to get the kids in the car only to find that the car seats were in the living room as the kids were playing movie theater the night before and had to have their car seats as "special theater seating." So, with my son still screaming and me still sweating I got the car seats and kids in the car. I ran in to get my phone and my purse and didn't have time to grab my bible. I started the car and realized that it was pouring down rain. I ran inside, again, and got the kids coats. No coat for me, of course because I couldn't find one to match my outfit.
We made it to church and my son decided that he didn't want to take off his coat. I had to hog tie him in line at the 3 year old classroom to get his coat off while all the rest of the parents watched. I had to peel him off of me and literally shove him into the arms of the worker all while sweating. Again my daughter wanted to know exactly why her brother wanted his coat on and why he didn't want to go into his class. I hurried her to her class across the hall while she proceeded to cry only because she saw her brother crying. I would push her into her class and she would come back out and cry. After this went on 3 or 4 times, all while I am sweating, I firmly told her to go into her class and play with her friends and then I turned around and walked out. Now it was my turn to cry.
I couldn't find a decent pair of nylons so I had to wear a pair of trouser socks under my boots with my skirt. Just the way the socks were feeling around my calves made me cry. My blazer was tight around my shoulders and when I raised my arms the sleeves were about 3 inches too short. My hair had not cooperated with me so it ended up in a pony tail that made me look like I was 15. Did I mention that I have naturally curly hair that goes haywire in the rain? I peeked into the mirror on my way down the hall only to notice that my cover up wasn't really covering up anything. It just sort of dried on my face while the redness of my blemishes shined right on through. Good grief. I made it into the service only to have a sweet pastor lean over to me a say, "Happy Mother's Day." That was a faucet for the tears for sure.
Ever have one of those days? A better question is have you ever not had one of those days? There are times when I look in the mirror and think, "What happened to me??" I can't remember the last time that I wasn't sweating through the halls at church or had a great hair day which didn't require the use of at least 2 hair bands. I read an encouraging word today in 1 Peter 3:4 (NLT), "You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." The first part of that verse speaks of "fancy hairstyles and "expensive jewelry" (what's that??) and how we shouldn't be concerned with those things. How much time do I take getting ready each day? Am I spending quality time putting on that "gentle and quiet spirit?" We have to clothe ourselves with those things. They don't just jump onto us each morning. The scripture goes on to say that "this is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful." Wow. There's a beauty secret that Victoria probably didn't know. It is not about our hairstyles or our perfectly pressed clothes. Our beauty comes from within and that internal beauty that God supplies is "unfading!" Hallelujah! Motherhood is challenging and it takes a toll on our outward appearances sometimes, but take heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit make us more attractive than 2 hours of uninterrupted time in front of our mirrors. By the way, Happy Mother's Day to you moms out there!
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