As a young mother of two, I contemplate this question often " Am I satisfied with balancing my family life versus my own personal self journey"? Please heed taking any offense to that question but I feel that women in general are very emotional and strong minded creatures. Therefore at some time in our lives we stumble upon this crossroad and I'm curious to hear how other mommies have approached this very same senario. I look at my family as a safehaven and blessing to run home to when the outside world has broken my spirit. Yet at certain times, I can't help but to yearn for a night out with the girls-is that wrong? I mean I can empathize with my husband who says, " I got overlooked again for that promotion...Hey by the way I'm going to play golf tomorrow." Life can be hard for our hubbies too!

But imagine being the wife to walk through this door- you've just come home from a 12 hour work day to see your kids running around still in their school uniforms, everyone screaming " I'm hungry-what's there to eat!!!", and watching your husband zoned out in his recliner playing Xbox 360 repeating the same question of " hey what's for dinner"? I'm sure any woman in their right mind would have run the large array of emotions from laughing to yelling to locking herself in the bathroom to cry.  Believe me- with all kidding aside- I am that woman on a daily basis and find that some days are more challenging than others. 

I have been with my husband for 10 years now.  I did not specify if all those years were "Married Bliss" and you could ask any of our close friends and family who  know us as a couple. We chose uncomfortable situations in public to fight with each other. We both played the " I'm jealous" card when it came to going out with the boys vs girls night out while they babysat their own children and made you feel like it was so inappropriate for moms to be going out clubbing but dads definitely need to unwind at the bar because they worked so hard the whole week. OK enough " Hubby Bashing"-but seriously why are there double standards for the dads vs the moms?

Despite the role reversals of some dads being the domestic provider while their wives go out into the corporate world and " bring home the bacon"-I still find this a general turning point in most mommies lives. Let's take a closer look at mommies daily activities and compare them with the daddies to see if they add up or even come close.  Mommies: Wake up 5:30 AM- make coffee, answer emails, do a load or two of laundry, set aside the kids clothes and bookbags, make lunch, write out the checks for the bills, take a shower and get ready for work-6:15 AM wake kids up and remind hubby " Last time reminder-you'll be late if you sleep in one more minute and yes I did plug in the iron for you... now get up!:0( Then we move into the kids rooms to wake them up for the 5th time threatening them with the aged old " If you don't get up, I'm going to leave you!" which for the smaller kids that tactic works but the older ones just reply back-" OK fine I'll miss a day of school-we don't do much on Mondays anyway!"-6:45 AM is the mad dash to the car when you hear the all-time annoying comment from dad, " Hey you guys forgot to kiss me good-bye and have a great day, call me on your way to drop the kids off at school-cool I have enough time to play one more game of Xbox 360 before heading to work this morning thanks honey!"

So if you daddies are reading this and come across a mother carpooling her children to school before heading to work-wise thing would be stay in the slow lane and please no whistling or cat calling at the red lights! And to all my devoted mommies-it's ok to want to unwind after a hectic work week just remember to do it safely. Because we all know that if we party too hard two options will come our way, #1 We still have to be productive the next day managing our family with a wicked hangover and repetitive explanation to our children why mommy is sick or #2 We will be banned from "Girls night out" for a good month or so.  Mommies choose wisely and enjoy balancing your life. God blessed you with a family, a good job, and a beautiful life-remember that . Give thanks to the Lord for all that you have-even the uncomfortable learning lessons of temptation. And live the life that God created for you-remember that everyone has been blessed in different ways by God so you should never want or yearn for what is not rightfully yours. Life full of love, meaningful memmories with those close to you and God-like purpose are what you should pray for and strive to achieve and attain before it is too late.

May all reading this blog take heed in the message and pass it on with love for one another. God bless you and keep you safe.-Jessie

This blog is dedicated to any mother who feels a sense of confusion while balancing her family life with other aspects in her life.  My prayers go out to each and everyone of you today.

 

 

This entry has a very personal touch to it so take caution reading this to not get offended too much by the content.  As I get older and happen to experience a life lesson that repeats itself, I can't help to wonder what the big hype it is to allow the world to dictate that supressing is a virtuous trait in someone's life.  I was brought up to believe that you must treat your neighbors like you would treat yourself. With every year that I grow older, I find it extremely difficult to be the quiet, submissive, obedient, people pleaser that most of those who know me have come to accept as my true nature.  But unfortunately to those same people and those who are getting to know me, they have discovered a different person. I have opened myself up to this style of life that still continues to fight for the better good of mankind but will not tolerate being someone's door mat. As I submerge myself into my deep spiritual beliefs, I find that my eyes are opening to a different sense of what I see as truth. I have been fighting a battle of my virtues and beliefs against an army of emotionally challenging and at times negatively tempting circumstances. Some days I come out victorious and at other times I barely make it out breathing a sigh of relief and contentment. I have recently found it very exhausting to cater to everyones' needs so I have developed a new way of life.... I will do for others what will personally give me a positive outlook on life without sacrificing my identity or the personal well-being of my family. A wise spiritual sister of mine asked me to repeat a spiritual mantra: " Take care of your God-given blessings that you call family before anything else!" As long as I can keep God on my side and look to my family for guidance and support instead of the company of strangers and acquaintances-then all the unending voids in my life should slowly but surely fade away. And as long as I continue to accept those positive good-willed people in my life to act like my human gaurdian angels on earth-I should never have to utter to words, " Worry, Scared, Doubt, Disbelief etc.." again.  So I ask God now to please- " Enlarge my territory, Keep your hand with me and protect me from evil so that I may not cause any harm-I ask this for myself, my family, and all those who need a prayer said on their behalf.  Amen. Take care and God Bless those reading this blog-Jessie