The Secret of My Success

So, I'm currently singing a song from our 5th(ish) grade church musical..."The secret of my success...God wants me to be my best...I'm seeking his kingdom...and his righteousness...that's the secret of my success...duh duh duh duh duh." Fun fact: My part in this musical was a camel. I shared the part with 2 other people. We were a camel with a head, two humps, and six legs. Freaky. Anyway...

I have made it through the most difficult season of my life to date and lived to tell about it. So tell about it, I shall. The idea for this post came to me yesterday evening when I was feeling incredibly thankful that the past five months are behind me (In case you're reading this post in isolation, let me explain that I have a 2 year old daughter who was 21 months old when my twins were born in November (twins that I'm still nursing and that do not sleep through the night), I teach middle school English and returned to work in December, I completed my final course for my Master's degree this semester, and I'm involved in a new church and ladies bible study). I realized that there are likely moms (and even others who aren't moms) who are feeling the pressure of motherhood with the possible addition, of work, school, and other activities. I believe sharing a few of my secrets might, someday, help another mom out there. I hope that each of you can find a gem of encouragement in my words today and perhaps a piece of advice that may help you through a difficult season.

I always hear the phrase "I don't know how you do it"...well, here's how:

1. Organization. Let me start with a big HAHA because I am laughing at calling myself organized. I'm NOT. My house is always a mess, my classroom is covered in dust, and my car is full of junk. There is barely a thing about me that's organized! The one aspect of organization that helped me survive these months was the existence of lists. And even my lists aren't organized - they are on my phone, sticky notes, in my planner, and on my computer. They're everywhere! But keeping a list of things that need to be accomplished helped me to put my busyness in perspective. I was able to see that my chores could be accomplished and felt that accomplishment when an item was removed from the list.

2. Perspective. When you find yourself in a difficult position, always remember that someone has it worse. During my twins' fussy time in those early weeks, I realized that they could be colicky and could cry all day. An hour or 2 of fussiness seemed like nothing in comparison. When I hear of fellow twin moms who lose a baby in utero or after birth, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to have two healthy, thriving babies, even if they don't sleep. Keep your perspective in difficult experiences - look at your blessings and remember that there are others around the world who are grieving, suffering, and dying.

3. Ask for help. I am a pretty self-sufficient person. I take pride (probably too much of it) in doing it "all" and doing it by myself. But it would have been impossible for me to survive these months without help. Whether I needed to ask my husband to watch the kids so I could nap or have an afternoon out,or CeCe or Nana kept the kids extra so I could run an errand or get some extra work done, someone was always available to help. There are people out there who will help you, you just have to ask!

4. Faith. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. These months were more than I could survive in my flesh. Without my savior giving me the strength I needed for each day, I would have quit school and had multiple breakdowns. I know it is only by His power that I made it through the past semester. If you're reading this, and you don't have a faith like this - with the belief in our Savior Jesus Christ that He can live and work through you, I pray you will find that faith. I am weak! His strength is what guides me daily! I may have mentioned this reason last, but it is the utmost reason for my success - during this past semester and in all of my previous endeavors.

I wish I could say that I have some magical advice that will actually make your life easier - but this is it. A lot of faith coupled with a little organization, perspective, and a cry for help every once in a while can take you a long way. I'm thankful for this season of my life because I truly believe I've learned so much about myself and the Lord. Despite my thankfulness, I gladly bid this season farewell and look forward to the upcoming summer full of sleep, playdates, vacations, and mindlessness! I hope that in my future difficult seasons, I'll be able to tackle them with the same tools I've used over these months and find myself successful once again.