uncrustables

while i was packing my son's lunch tonight i was inspired to write this blog! i threw in the usuals, juice box, some fruit, some chips, a snack, a desert and then last but not least.... the uncrustable sandwich. i was overwhelmed with happiness that i didn't have to put a sandwich together from scratch -- i could pull out a premade frozen pb&j!! yes!!! success!

i know some of you are reading this thinking that i am a pretty lazy mommy and how hard can it be to make a pb & j sandwich for your son??

when those sandwiches first came out in the stores, i said i will NEVER buy those things -- and thought who in the world would buy frozen sandwiches, how hard are sandwiches to make for your child? i probably even made the assumption and stereotype that only bad moms and lazy moms buy those things.

i was at wal-mart last wednesday night with my friend, stephanie, and she bought them and told me how much she loved them (not for her to personally consume but to put in her sons' lucnches). now, i have bought them before but never got into them like she obviously had. i didn't get it. so that night, after a second thought on my part, i decided to get a box, we actually back tracked to the frozen section to get a box for me.

so tonight a whole bunch of stuff hit me pretty hard -- and all because of a box of frozen sandwiches. which i LOVE and will continue to buy and pack in my kid's lunches!!!

first, that as moms we are pretty darn hard on ourselves. we think we have to do everything and do it the best we can and tat we should be able to do it better than the next mom. so what if i buy frozen sandwiches. if my son is happy, i should be too. i don't care if the mom that reads this is not happy with my choice. i am taking responsibility to take off undue stress that i place on myself.

last night i began the process of becoming easier on myself. my kid's trashed their rooms (what's new?) usually, they have their toys organized in bins that sit on wooden shelves which are kept in their closets. each bin typically contains all of the same kind of toys ie: army men in one, legos in another or baby doll clothes in one and barbies in another. last night, i gave up the control, i just wanted the toys picked up so they could get into their beds quickly! i just told them to clean up and i did not go behind them and organize and sort through the toys! i was so relieved and felt so liberated and so free. i gave up control of something that i think needs to be perfect. now, eventually, i will sort through the toys, but it does not need to be done daily. they just mess it up. now i do believe in teaching them to sort and organize -- and it will come in time, but when it does they will do it and not i!!!


second, we as moms can be pretty hard on other moms (aka: our friends) by making judgmental statements such as buying frozen sandwiches makes you lazy. just because i wouldn't have bought them does not make the mom who does any less of a mom or any less of a person. i will be the first to admit, in the past, i made those judgmental statements, i didn't say them aloud but i thought them and what is the difference, really. (please note: that night i bought the frozen sandwiches i had not made or thought a judgmental statement about my friend buying them-- she wins the mother of the year award in my opinion!)

we tend to be pretty hard on other moms in A LOT of other areas of mothering, such as to homeschool or not to homeschool, to nurse or to bottle feed the baby, to use a pacifier or not use one, to give your children sugar or not, stay at home or work, to use drugs during delivery or do it all natural or to spank your children or use time out. i could go on and on. the point i am trying to make is that we need to lighten up on each other. we need to accept each other for who we are as mothers and not be judgmental of others decisions. we need to respect and honor the decisions others make. and a lot of times if we stop being judgmental, we may even learn something that works for another mom will work just as great for you! so have an open heart when you are sharing mothering stories and efforts with one another. you may learn something that works for your family that you once thought was something you would never do (or buy)!

third, i realized that the decisions i make for my family are just that for MY family, the family that God has entrusted me with. as long as my husband and i are unified and in agreement, and what we do lines up with scripture (not that uncrustables are in the bible), the decisions we make are the best for our family.


it is important to realize that during this busy stage of our lives, we do not have time for this pressure to bring us down. each day is about serving and caring for others in a way that is glorifying to God. i think if you have a smile on your face because packing your kids' lunch was a breeze --- that will glorify Him! He certainly doesn't want us to feel the pressure we place on ourselves or that is placed on us by others --- that is satan's thing --- and God is in control of our lives not satan.



i have bought them in the past but never appreciated them like i do now...