Moms - Take Care of Yourself
In a rare moment, all of my children and I were gathered in the livingroom watching TV. For some strange reason "What Not to Wear" was on and the children told me they were going to nominate me for the show. Haha. Very Funny. It is true that I don't wear makeup or dress up unless I have an important appointment.
In the morning, I wake up, shower, dress, and begin the day. Children need my help. Work has to be done. Household chores need to be completed and errands must be run. I rarely paint my nails and I usually tie my hair into a bun. As everyone can attest, I am not a fashion plate. Instead, I only dress up when needed.
However, this "What Not to Wear" show insists that mothers must take care of themselves first so that they can give their best to others. The hosts often throw away perfectly fine, though unfashionable, clothing and give their clients $5000 to spend on a new wardrobe. The makeover subjects also receive new haircuts and makeup. The outward transformation is usually quite dramatic.
I thought about this idea that women need to take care of themselves before they can adequately take care of others. Sleep, food, and shelter are definitely basic necessities. But if food is scarce, should we feed ourselves before our children? Obviously, no good mother would ascribe to that point of view. So, what does it mean to take care of ourselves? In an affluent society like the USA, we encourage women to take time for themselves - to have their nails done, get a massage, or go out with friends. We make judgements about women based upon their looks, their clothing, and their fitness level. We also have this really strange notion that a woman with the perfect look is somehow a better mother. Do you need to have "girl" time in order to be a good mom? Or do you just want that to make yourself feel better? Do you need to have the perfect clothes so that other women think you are fashionable and put together? Does the right look make you a better mom?
I'm so confused about this nonsense that many have bought into. Selfishness does not make a person a good mother. Jesus never taught us to put ourselves first. He didn't even embody the concept himself. Instead, we are taught that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit and we are to make wise and holy choices with it. We are also taught that while we have the freedom to make many different choices, that "whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)
I enjoy having a break from the kids. I like to grocery shop by myself. I also make them play outside without me. Needing a break or a nap is different than needing to pamper oneself. Christian women, we should be very wise regarding the examples we set for other women and our children. If we believe that our comfort is a necessity or even a priority in our lives, we should make sure we can back it up with scripture. If we cannot find a biblical basis for our beliefs, we should take time to reconsider our position.
In the morning, I wake up, shower, dress, and begin the day. Children need my help. Work has to be done. Household chores need to be completed and errands must be run. I rarely paint my nails and I usually tie my hair into a bun. As everyone can attest, I am not a fashion plate. Instead, I only dress up when needed.
However, this "What Not to Wear" show insists that mothers must take care of themselves first so that they can give their best to others. The hosts often throw away perfectly fine, though unfashionable, clothing and give their clients $5000 to spend on a new wardrobe. The makeover subjects also receive new haircuts and makeup. The outward transformation is usually quite dramatic.I thought about this idea that women need to take care of themselves before they can adequately take care of others. Sleep, food, and shelter are definitely basic necessities. But if food is scarce, should we feed ourselves before our children? Obviously, no good mother would ascribe to that point of view. So, what does it mean to take care of ourselves? In an affluent society like the USA, we encourage women to take time for themselves - to have their nails done, get a massage, or go out with friends. We make judgements about women based upon their looks, their clothing, and their fitness level. We also have this really strange notion that a woman with the perfect look is somehow a better mother. Do you need to have "girl" time in order to be a good mom? Or do you just want that to make yourself feel better? Do you need to have the perfect clothes so that other women think you are fashionable and put together? Does the right look make you a better mom?
I'm so confused about this nonsense that many have bought into. Selfishness does not make a person a good mother. Jesus never taught us to put ourselves first. He didn't even embody the concept himself. Instead, we are taught that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit and we are to make wise and holy choices with it. We are also taught that while we have the freedom to make many different choices, that "whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)
I enjoy having a break from the kids. I like to grocery shop by myself. I also make them play outside without me. Needing a break or a nap is different than needing to pamper oneself. Christian women, we should be very wise regarding the examples we set for other women and our children. If we believe that our comfort is a necessity or even a priority in our lives, we should make sure we can back it up with scripture. If we cannot find a biblical basis for our beliefs, we should take time to reconsider our position.
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