just keep swimming

I feel like I am dragging some day since I get up at least twice a night to feed our beautiful baby.  I try not to complain and just continue to work on getting things done, one at a time.  Yesterday I hurriedly got up and put milk into bottles and put her stuff together so my husband could drop her off at the neighbor’s while I was at work since his mom who has been watching her had a doctor’s appointment.  I double checked all of her stuff and made sure she had everything, even her bottle warmer and put the car seat out on the counter next to all of her stuff.

I was so proud of myself for making a crock pot of cranberry oatmeal (cranberries were super cheap this season, I heard there was an overabundance grown this year up north and I got 2lbs for $2.99 at Costco).  I spent some time putting most of it into a container to save for future breakfasts and threw some into a bowl for breakfast this morning.  I had laid out my clothes to wear this morning even with my socks and shoes.  (If you haven’t noticed, I like to prepare things in advance.)

I grabbed all my stuff including my breakfast and hopped into the car.  On my way to the office I ate my delicious crock pot oatmeal (I can post a recipe if you like, I didn’t really follow one and threw stuff into the crock pot but I know what I put into it and approximately how much!)  Upon my arrival my heart sank a bit.  I had forgotten to grab my lunch: a delicious salad I had prepared the other day in a lovely glass Pyrex container that seals well to keep the lettuce from browning.  I was going to have to eat the dehydrated overly processed food I kept at the office for emergencies.  I was disappointed in myself for forgetting it.  It was as if all of the preparation and everything I had done didn’t matter. 

Then 11 o’clock rolled around and the door opened, a catering person arrived!  I had been told there was no lunch today and wasn’t expecting anyone to come.  Last minute someone must have filled the slot!  Jesus provided me with lunch!  Thanks Jesus!  Our Father provides even for little needs.  I had food, it just wasn’t very healthy or tasty and He provided something better for me.

But let’s get back to the heart of the matter, why was I so hard on myself?  Why are we so hard on ourselves when we don’t do everything perfectly, get everything right or doesn’t look like a picture in a magazine or Pintrest?  I think that Satan is trying to attack us and make us feel inadequate.  I actually accomplished quite a bit!  Forgetting one thing doesn’t negate everything else I did.  (Mommy brain is real by the way!  There is a lot to remember and we are constantly multitasking.)

So friends, just remember, don’t get down on yourself if you mess up (or think you messed up, lots of times others don’t even notice and it’s just us beating ourselves up!).  We just need to dust ourselves off and try again or go onto the next task, next meal, or next day.  Or as Dori sings in Finding Nemo (I love Pixar), "just keep swimming" (and it's fun to sing too!).

- run for life