This is a guest post contributed by Amber Palmer. You can learn more about Amber in her bio at the bottom of her post.

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

“Mom, I think your signature look is the side-eyed glare,” my daughter shared with me one day while we were getting ready to start school.

I chuckled at first at her comment and wanted to brush it off as tween sass, but the more I thought about it, the more it really bothered me to think I was always giving a certain “look” to my kids.

As the day went on, I started to pay attention to my mannerisms and quickly realized when my children asked me to do something for them or interrupted me in any way, my “signature look” was quick to surface. Along with the side-eyed glare, I found that I have a “signature” deep sigh of annoyance to accompany it.

I couldn’t help but feel a strong conviction in how I was serving my family with a grumbling heart. My two signature looks and sounds were not coming from a place of love. I was having major “mom mood”!

I realized that my response to motherhood was more of a burdened response, and my heart broke that I had allowed my attitude about motherhood to get to this point. I know motherhood can become taxing as we balance all the things. We pour out so much of ourselves and are continually needed throughout the day: playing, teaching, preparing food, doing laundry, being the emotion-tamer and decision-maker… the list is kind of endless.

With all the doing and pouring, we can easily find ourselves disgruntled and worn thin. Our responses come from irritable souls, and we can grow more aggravated as our day goes on.

For me, this had become a habit that was obviously noticeable to my children. I didn’t want them to think they were burdens or an annoyance to me. I knew I needed some major heart work and a full reset to my attitude.

After prayer and reflection, I realized that when we get to this point and need to reset our mom mood, there are two things we always need to REMEMBER and two things we can DO:

1. Motherhood is sacred and an important ministry. When we see what we are doing with full importance and serving the Lord through our service to our family, our focus can change from burden to blessing.

2. Jesus knows how mothers feel. In Mark 6:31, we see Jesus was so busy with the people who were coming and going to see him that they had no leisure even to eat. Jesus knows what it is like to be needed and interrupted constantly.

3. Check your ground. Are you grounded in the Lord or grounded in unmet expectations, failure, pity, or a “nuisance-oriented” attitude about your children? When our love is grounded in the Lord, we can love others more abundantly.

4. Take a break. Finding special time for yourself is so important. Whether this is running to the coffee shop with a friend or hiding in the bathroom to read the Bible for 15 minutes, make sure you find time in your day to have a break from all responsibilities.

I know we have our mom moments, and that is okay! These moods become a problem when we have constant unhappiness or always feel burdened when we are doing things for or with our children.

I hope that my love for my children is a reflection of Jesus’ love for us. I pray that it is a beautiful fragrant offering to our Lord as I walk out love to my children this side of heaven. May we all see motherhood not as a burden but as a sweet blessing. The years go by fast and our moments together are sacred!

Hopefully my children will remember more loving Jesus filled eyes than those side-eyed glares!

Amber is a busy mom of two kiddos, wife, and blogger over at My Jars of Clay. When she is not homeschooling her daughter you can find her writing to encourage other moms and helping them keep their focus on Jesus. Amber enjoys spending her time reading, singing when no one is around and throwing random dance parties in her kitchen. She loves connecting with other moms in person and over on Instagram.

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