Chapter 2: The Secret to Your Success

So, the best quote I think I've ever heard on mothering is as follows: Of course I'd like to be the ideal mother: But I'm too busy raising children.-from the comic strip The Family Circus, by Bil Keane

The chapter opens with this quote! :) How great is that!! I'm just going to go through the chapter and type out some of the things I highlighted. Everything in italics is straight from the book.

Being a positive mom doesn't mean you have to be a perfect mom. She is realistic in her expectations, recognizing that her husband and children have weaknesses as well as strengths. And most important, she humbly acknowledges that she has a fair amount of flaws herself.

Usually we are one of two moms, we can either point out all of our strengths or we can point out all of our flaws. Some of us can do both, but we tend to look at one or the other. We need to turn our focus on what God sees and He sees them both. :)

I am saying don't be discouraged by your weaknesses. Determine instead to build on your strengths. Rejoice that God is at work in your life. He created you. He is developing you. And He is not finished with you yet! (AMEN) Take encouragement from the words of the apostle Paul: "(I am) confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:6.

She goes on to talk about how busy we can be as moms. We have a busy schedule and we tend to overload it sometimes. Make a list of all the activities in which you are currently involved. Now add to the list all of your children's activities. (After all, your kids' activities become yours when you drive them to and from practices and classes, attend games and recitals, and volunteer to thelp out at fund-raisers and concession stands.) Is there anything on the list you don't really HAVE to be doing? Is there anything on the list you sense God telling you to STOP doing? You and I must reexamine our activity load on a regular basis, asking ourselves these important questions and making adjustments in our schedules as needed.

One of the greatest gifts we can give our families is to stop rushing down the fast lane and start doing what matters most. And what does matter most? Sometimes we have trouble answering that question because our minds are clouded by the "tyranny of the urgent."

One of the ways to make sure we keep the most important things to the front of our minds is to have a personal statement of belief and purpose. An example of one is as follows:

I believe I was created by God for a purpose. I believe my purpose here on earth is______.
I believe God has created me with unique gifts, talents, and abilities that he can use to bless and enrich my family and the people around me.
My strengths include_______.
I recognize that I also have certain weaknesses, yet I know that when I am weak, God is strong.
I trust him to do a great work in my family. My hope for my family is _________.

We are useless as moms if we are not getting our power from the right source. Our power source is God. We need to be plugged in to the Bible and we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.

We get tired physically and emotionally from the constant effort to discipline, entertain, and care for our kids. There are days when we feel overwhelmed. That's when we need to turn to the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and God. The Bible tells us the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses (Romans 8:26--In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness). he strengthens and encourages us (Acts 9:31--Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord). He leads and guides us (John 16:13--But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come). He renews us and replenishes us (Isaiah 32:15--till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest). As God's Spirit is at work in our lives, he brings forth wonderful fruit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

READ: Romans 8. Choose several verses to memorize. She suggests verse 28, 38, and 39.

CHOOSE: I will look to God to give me strength and power to be a positive mom.

DO: Prayerfully prepare your own personal mission statement.

Questions:
1. In what areas do you tend to expect perfection? Are you willing to release these areas to God?
2. In thinking about your schedule and activities, are there some things that you need to cut out or save until another time? If so, would you like to share how you came to this decision?
3. Perhaps a few of you would like to share some of the things you wrote in your personal belief and purpose statement.
4. Which verse in your reading of Romans 8 gave you encouragement and strength?
5. Prayer requests or praises.