I have two issues here I want to address, so let’s get to it, shall we?

I’ve read many blog posts, ranging from ones to inspire me to ones I don’t even finish.  When I read these blogs, what bothers me is that when I scroll to the bottom I sometimes read comment after comment, sometimes ranging from “amen, sister!” to disagreeing to the point of shaming the author.  And I don’t mean that the comment writer feels the author is somehow neglecting or abusing her children, but that she misused an analogy, or has no right to complain about parenting because she doesn’t have a child with special needs.  These are things that I’ve thought about as I write my honest thoughts on my blog, worrying about how they might be received.  Will I offend anyone?  Will someone think I’m a terrible mother?  Will someone think I don’t want to be a mom like her.  Will someone question my love of Jesus?  Truthfully, hateful comments on other blogs make me think these thoughts, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

So this is how I address this first issue.  I write with honesty.  I don’t purposefully write to make anyone mad, or put my life out there just for fun, but I write with honesty for that one mom who feels like no one knows how she’s feeling, or what she’s struggling with, or what obnoxious thing her child is doing.  I was sure no one knew what it was like to have an 8-year-old struggle with anxiety like Grace does.  Then I wrote a post about it and I found out I was wrong.  It was an amazing feeling – like finding more family.  I want to do that for others.  My guess is that this is why many moms blog.  Of course that’s just my guess.

My second issue – I’ve been a part of many, many conversations in which stay-at-home moms, or moms who work out of the home, or moms who work part-time, or homeschooling moms, or any combination or anyone in between is judged or criticized.  WE’RE DIFFERENT.  Can’t we just give each other the grace to realize we’re doing the best we can to live this life of being a mom?  I’ve listened as one mom said that working moms have it so easy, thinking that she probably forgot I AM a working mom (part-time, but still).  I also thought she just had something on her heart and needed to get those words out of her head.  I let it go, I didn’t start anything.  She needed to vent and I let her.  Maybe we can let each other vent once in a while?  Maybe we can remember that moms are on the same team?  We’re on a really tired team…in a really long game…in which we play all of the positions.  It’s called grace friends, let’s give each other some.  Of course I am complaining about it here… well I’m not perfect.

Besides my husband, no one knows how to support and encourage me like other moms.  On the other side of that, no one knows how to tear me down like another mom who thinks she’s doing a better job than I am.  And tells me so.

We’re on the same team.  Let’s cheer each other on.

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