WIFEY WEDNESDAY: Embracing My Dorkness

As the matriarch of my household, I have discovered that I hold the power to create the mood in my home. I was particularly proud of my creativity recently. My husband was discouraged to see that the leaves he had cleaned up in our yard just days before had returned. I happened to be hula hooping at the time of our conversation...well, just because I was...and so with a smile on my face and the determination to make him smile, I got as low to the ground as possible while still hula hooping and said, "That's because we're in the season of faaaallllll."  He couldn't help but laugh at the sight of me! He shook his head and said, "You're such a dork!" and walked outside to clean up the leaves.

I have decided to embrace my "dorkness" in my mothering as well. Not too long ago, my eleven-year-old son and I were stuck in construction traffic. The "I'm tired and just want to get home" whining had begun. Trying to think of how I could change the mood in the car, I turned the dial on the radio until we landed on one of my son's favorite songs that carried a beat perfect for dancing. Oh yes, in seconds some serious dancing ensued! My son's sour face disappeared behind a large smile. He laughed out loud at his dorky mom throwing her arms up in the air, nodding her head to the beat, and moving in her seat with such rhythm that the car shook. Soon my son embraced his dorkness too. We had the best time laughing and dancing together from the seats of our car. He did, however, insist that I calm myself as we approached a construction worker. He was sure that the man would think I was drunk.

Wifey and mom friend, not only do we have the power to create joy in our homes (and cars), we also have the power to create an attitude of thankfulness. In fact, did you know that joy and thankfulness are directly connected? If we intentionally look for the good in a not-so-good situation, and choose to be thankful, we increase our joy. If we constantly complain and whine about our misfortunes or hardships, our minds let go of thankfulness and joy slips out of our grip. 

I am convinced that much of our abundant life exists in our positive attitude towards life. Maybe that's why the Bible says to do everything without complaining or arguing. God knows those two things steal our joy. He knows that if we're complaining, we're not being thankful. 

The Bible also instructs us to think about what is true, lovely, right, admirable, excellent or praise worthy. Trials, hardships and disappointments are a part of every day life. But God's grace is a part of our every day life as well. I want to be a mom and a wife who finds the silver lining, who dances in the back-ups and hula hoops in the frustrations. After all, these moments last only a brief time. Let's choose to be life-givers, joy-givers, and thanks-givers. I promise you that when you do, life will become a whole lot more fun, not only for you, but also for those God has placed under your roof and under your care. 

"Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation." Psalm 100

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