Shame Train.

     I have been guilty. I have been guilty on THIS BLOG. I get so caught up in what I randomly happened to do right for a change, I inadvertently slam other moms. AAAAAACK!! NO!!!!!! The last post written by Jeanne Miller has me thinking hard about the attitude that we as moms take towards those that are really hurting. The descriptions of what people said broke my heart. (Jeanne is truly amazing, by the way.)
     For my life, I stumble through parenting and when I bump into something I actually can do and it is actually helpful I get all really excited about it. I do sincerely apologize for being obnoxious about it. Let me set the record strait! I also have EPIC mom fails. Forgotten lunch money, failure to turn in permission slips on time, punishing the wrong kid for the crime committed, coming down too hard, or going too easy all clutter up my parenting track record. I goof off when I should be busting my bottom and overwork myself into a frenzy of exhaustion. Balance is so hard. If you want to judge me for it, that is your prerogative, but what if we could all reach out in honesty about the day our kid ran out of underpants in his dresser drawer and we just said, "wear the ones you slept in."
     Then I go to my daughter's preschool for a sticky, gooey, candy laden party. A mom there works outside the home. She comes to me and says, "I managed to get the day off and come. Do you work?" As always, the internal struggle starts up. "Not for a paycheck, but yes, I work as a mom." What ensued next was just the snarkiest comments about stay home moms I've heard in a bit. I said that I really admire moms that work outside the home because they are doing two jobs. It fell on deaf ears. And I do, by the way. I really deeply admire those that are struggling with parenting, a job for pay, marriage, and bills. YOU GO!! YOU ARE AWESOME!!
     Can we stop this? Can we just change our tone? Jesus called for life to be filled with unity, love, support and humility. I'm starting with me. I'm taking out my edgy tone. I'm not staring at the obvious Autistic meltdown at WalMart. I'm not making snarky posts on facebook about "Those moms" when I so obviously mean one of my friends. DONE! Why do we sow these seeds of discord? Look up! You are an amazing mom. You are not perfect. GUESS WHAT!! I am a complete, rolling train-wreck of imperfection used by some amazing work of the Holy Spirit to bring Him glory. I want to celebrate my successes with kindness and love. That is what Jesus is all about. Go out and be awesome.