From Glee to utter frustration

From Glee to Frustration

As a Mom, many can relate, the moments when our frustration threatens to blow the roof of our heads; these moments sometimes speckle our days or weeks.  How can one thing going wrong turn my mood from glee to a total and utter feeling of frustration?

I am in wonder of the phenomena.  What happens in these moments that changes who I am so quickly?  I know we are created in the image of our Savior.  I know we also have a sin nature.  I know they wrestle against each other in our minds, hearts and lives.

So what is the answer?  Do I wish and pray to God so that I don't ever feel so frustrated?  What would my life look like without occasional frustration?  Weird thought, right?!

My conclusion, as simple as it seems, is this;  "When we feel frustration, this is life.  This is learning how to cope and deal with disappointment. Learning to deal with the fact that maybe our children are normal and make mistakes.  That they talk back.  They fight during what should be a fun play date. That they did again, what you have told them fifty times not to do. That they spoke out of turn in the class room (ugh!).

But...

When we lose ourselves to this frustration, when we put that hideous, ridiculous  facial expression on.   My husband has lovingly told me..."You should see what your face looks like when you are frustrated with her."  When you literally or figuratively throw your hands into the air and want to give up.  When our children turn from being remorseful of what they did, into their own frustration because our need to correct turns our tone into a voice not coupled with love, patience and grace.

When we leave what we know is good parenting and turn into the mom we despise.

When we do this we totally turn and face away from Christ and His love.  We forget, even in our child's weakest moments, in their worst decisions, in our own failures to teach everything about everything... when we, for an instant, forget...

He has carved us in the palm of His hand.  That He has plans to prosper us (and our children) .... that His word doesn't return void...  

I think we have to submit to this truth totally.  Even in those moments of frustration. Even before those moments of frustration.  I am not nieve.  I know wonderful parents out there who have lost children to sin and its powerful pull.  I know for many of us, that fear is at the root of this frustration...  but....

I know there will be a much much lesser chance of that happening if we are firmly, unwaveringly, rooted and planted in His Love, Mercy and Grace.


Knowing frustration is to live life, be a mom, take part in civilization.  But to go from glee to frustration and be lost in that moment is to forget who we are loved and cared for by and because of that, what responsibility we have.  Never forget, there is no greater power to raise our children under then the loving arm of the Savior, who bled and died as if your child was the only person on Earth to save.