Courage does not roar
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
At the end of the day saying,
“I will try again tomorrow”.
Mary Anne Radmacher
I don’t think I could have “got” this quote in my early years of mothering……my house was always immaculately kept…..I was desperate to be “perfect”……..somehow if I did and said everything right……nothing bad could touch me…..my children would always be happy…..my husband always be in love with me…..a friend to everyone……everything blissfully……perfect……sigh:)
Fast forward 11 years and he left me for someone else……my children definitely were not happy……I lost that house…..and everything else…..including some “so-called” friends…….my world turned upside down…..literally.
Fast forward 10 more years and this quote is how I live my life. I often get asked by other mothers, “How do you do it….a mother to six sons…..and your still standing….”? The reality is that “I don’t do it very good…. a lot of the time”. What I have learned is that it takes courage to be a mother. But, it takes even more courage to get up and do it all over again the next day. When the last one leaves our home…..I will have been mothering roughly 40 years……it overwhelms me to see that in print:)
All any of us can really do…..IS DO TODAY……and if I blow it…..like I have on many occasions…..I ask God to forgive me…..believe Him for creative ways to do it differently the next day……get a little sleep……wake up……if I’m lucky walk Mt. Rubidoux…..read God’s word……and face up to TWELVE eyes waiting for me to either change a diaper, fix the leg that fell off of Batman, locate a Star Wars light sabre…….read and edit a history paper, fix chocolate chip pancakes, wash a load of clothes cause he’s leaving for Canada and hasn’t washed since the last gig he went on, find a lost cowboy boot (sigh)…… take another one to RCC, read a skunk book….pick up from RCC…..make 15-year-old do his geography……give permission for girlfriends to come over later…..six-year-old meltdown because Indiana Jones’ whip is missing and it MUST be found……lunch……school…….maybe sit down to close my eyes for 1/2 hour…..run to grocery store cuz they ate what I was going to fix……make dinner…..all of us crowded around our dinning room table…… plus usually some wayward soul that pops by……take my 4th to the rock-climbing gym……come back…..make homemade brownies…….Hi Rob….maybe……baths……feed Rob…..put little boys down for bed…..maybe some “me” time…..possibly Rob time…..oh…no….pick up from rock-climbing gym……Love you Rob…..wash make-up off face…..slather in some kind of wrinkle cream that, obviously, is not working……climb into bed……cry…..just kidding….not really, sometimes I do cry……tell Rob I desperately love him…….sleep…..REPEAT!
Courage.….it really isn’t a roar…..but the ability to keep trying…..believing…….loving…..knowing that what you have given your life to……is making a difference……
Disclaimer: Not all days will look like this…..some are worse:)
21 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 25, 2009 at 8:20 am
Heather Schles
Alright that is crazy I swear my days look just like that except throw in 2 girls and alot more drama and crying and I’m so there with you. Somtimes it so hard just try another day and then I look at the many blessing that God has given me…such as Husband, kids, friends, the church, more friends, family,mentors and the list could go on awhile. Those are the thoughts that let me know o.k. I can do this again tomorrow because I am loved and I am needed and most of all FORGIVEN.
That in it self is such a big word, your kids always forgive, your husband forgives and most of all God forgives me always.
I hope one day I can just look back and say my life was was so fulfilled as a servant of God, wife, mother, daughter, friend. I hope kids will some day say the same about there lives……….
January 25, 2009 at 9:19 am
juliebelle
Thanks for letting me throw myself and my vegetarian ways into the mix. I hope this week works, missing you.
January 25, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Mike Stavlund
Thanks for the courage.
And the next time I see Daley, you can be sure that I’ll bring the heat for letting his mother do his laundry. I’m quite sure he’s completely capable of doing it himself.
January 25, 2009 at 1:42 pm
whittakerwoman
I love when you write! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! H
January 25, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Angela
I like you
January 25, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Susie Saunders
When I was living the crazy life one of my favorite verses was Proverbs 14:4
“Where no oxen are, the manger is clean” (I always told Rick I was going to write that on our door post for people to see before they came in the house) The second part of that verse “….But much increase comes by the strength of the ox.”
Thanks so much for your post – you are doing a great job! oxox
January 26, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Tess
Glad you’re back!
Excellent post.
January 26, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Rachel Heiser
I think last week ended with some sort of a depression for me. But reading your post has reminded me no mother is the perfect mother all we can do is try. Thanks so much for that post really needed to read it!
January 27, 2009 at 5:13 pm
DParkins
so many blessings in your day my friend. No sickness, a loving understanding husband, kids that know you will find all those lost things and drive their lives to and from. You show the goodness of God’s mercy and love just because you are able to do all of that in a day. I love to see the movement in your life…I know you could use some stillness but it really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be without your children around. You have been blessed with sons to provide the daughters of the world good men. And we all know they will be good men because they came from a good mom who always choose to be a follower of Christ even when it wasn’t the easy route to take. You give young mothers with less support courage to face their days knowing tomorrow is coming. Love you
January 28, 2009 at 4:59 am
lorilynnnavarro
Thank you. I appreciate you. I need to hear this so much!
January 29, 2009 at 1:40 pm
erikaivory
How I want to sit down and have coffee with you. I linked over from Whittaker woman and I am truly thankful I did! You inspire me and I am telling my mom to find you. I am third born of 10 and now have 3 boys of my own and I needed to hear about courage today. This life is a joy, but I needed courage today to do what I face this day. My mom is in a new place today with her youngest 15 and her oldest the mother of 8. Txting and twitter are our lifeline to her. Funny how the world changes with us? Loving your wisdom from afar!
January 29, 2009 at 3:40 pm
shan
i think i’ll read this every day. love ya.
January 29, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Sue Senkbeil
I am in a whole different place…but how that speaks to me…I love how God works that way…He is omnipresent in all of our lives..no matter where we are..thanks for another helping of wisdom shared!
January 29, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Steph
I saw this on Heather’s blog and thought it was fantastic. I am still a relatively new mother and am in that mindset a lot of the time that any little thing I do could that’s the least bit “off” possibly damage my child. Thanks for giving me some perspective.
January 30, 2009 at 1:11 am
theblossoms
I really needed to hear this. Thanks. Keep writing!!
January 30, 2009 at 2:54 am
alicia
I am right there with you now and the six boys… I am definitely going to need courage..
January 30, 2009 at 5:57 am
Christy Wong
I had to come read your post. I’m excited to see you blogging again! You have so much wisdom to share, and I know I can always come to you when I need advice.
Excellent post. I, too, stuggle with wanting to be perfect. But God is teaching me that perfection only comes from him, and it is internal more than external.
And I loved reading about your day! It makes mine seem boring by comparison! Hope you don’t mind- I’m adding you to my blog roll. Keep writing! Love you.
January 31, 2009 at 10:03 am
Pearmama
Lady…I am so glad you are back to blogging. I mean, what else do you have to do all day expect park your butt and blog?
But seriously.
This made me cry.
Still waiting on that coffee.
February 2, 2009 at 8:01 pm
mamirhi
thank you. thank God for loving, hard-working husbands. thank YOU for sharing your day to give me a perspective on how easy mine truly is. thank you for being the mother that you are, helping me be the mother that i am. p.s. i think that eye cream IS working…
February 4, 2009 at 1:21 am
Michelle
I soooo enjoy your writing. I met Daley at the blog party back in Nov in Georgia and have been stalking him ever since- love his pics as much as I love your writing. I sat across from him at dinner and I really did wonder about his mother. His hair alone was enough to assure me that this young man had a neat mom. Then I found your blog. I find it so inspiring, encouraging and authentic. Keep it up! I know I’ll be reading.
PS it’s also been neat for my 12-year-old-artistic-guitar player to follow Daley as well, it’s his only interest in the blog world
March 24, 2009 at 7:43 pm
jessica
i’m an associate of mary anne radmacher’s and saw you’ve enjoyed her quote, “courage doesn’t always roar.” i know mary anne is so happy when people find inspiration from her words in the context of their daily lives. for more work from mary anne’s hand visit her website maryanneradmacher.com. mary anne has written several books and shares her work in many forms including conferences and classes. for more information feel free to e-mail me at jessicaformaryanneradmacher@gmail.com. thanks for sharing her words!