My Mother’s Day Gift
by Hannah Keeley
This year for Mother’s Day, I requested the most unusual gift of all…and I got it!
Every year, my husband would ask me to be specific about what I wanted. What restaurant did I want to go to? What gift would I like?
This year, when he asked me, I was totally honest with him.
I don’t want ANYTHING!
What I meant by this is that I have been so busy lately that I just wanted a day of absolutely NOTHING at all! I wanted to go to church, eat some sandwiches when I got home, and go nowhere, do nothing, and completely chill for the rest of the day. And you know what? It was the perfect day. We all sat around and just talked and talked. Later on, we watched “My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding.” It was an amazing day. You know why?
I rested.
Rest is a gift that we need to give ourselves often (at least every seven days). One of the most common misconceptions among moms is that we have to do everything, and if we stop and take a break, then the entire world will come crashing down around you.
But here’s the truth, if we take on the weight of the world and fail to give ourselves a break every once in a while, our inner world will come crashing down. And that’s no fun at all. No fun for us, and definitely no fun for our families.
It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” Psalm 127:2
Did you get that? When we keep going a mile a minute, and fail to stop and rest once in a while, it is vanity. It’s our ego telling us that everything relies on us.
Stop. Breathe. Rest.
The world will keep on going. The dishes will wait. Your family won’t starve.
God wants to bless you, and His blessings do not rely on your performance. It relies on your belief. Get over the performance anxiety. You are already enough, Mama. And God is more than able to bless you in your sleep. Did you get that? He can and will bless you when you are doing nothing at all, but resting.
He’s nice like that.
Sometime this week, give yourself the gift of rest. Don’t wait until Mother’s Day rolls around again. Do it now, and enjoy absolutely NOTHING!
Hannah Keeley was once in overwhelmed mom living in a cluttered house, deep in debt, out of shape, and barely hanging on. But one day, after finding herself sobbing uncontrollably into a pile of clean laundry, she realized God has bigger and better plans for her (just like He does for each one of His children). Beginning that day, she began making changes in her life that took her from overwhelmed to overjoyed. Today, she’s helping moms do the same. Hannah, her husband, Blair, and their seven children live in Richmond, Virginia, and are having the time of their lives!
Check out Hannah’s Website Here!
