How can I put down my overloaded bags of worry?

It's amazing how when you become a mother you just have a way to fix almost anything. It doesn't matter if inside our heads we are freaking out wondering how will we fix this, because what we show is we get the job  done. Mothers take care of things. Wouldn't you agree?

I guess once you have a baby you learn quickly how to be prepared. It seems that may be one less worry when you are carrying your second, third or  forth child. It may seem that because we have done it all before we are more prepared for the next.

But with all new unpredictable things in life worry is hanging on the backside for dear life.


Dang right?

It seems that once worry grabs on tightly enough we carry a heavy load around.

And you can only carry a heavy load for so long before it gets harder and harder to take steps towards anything.

Take for example the diaper bag. First time moms probably pack it with EVERYTHING you can think of for any situation and then still stress thinking they might have forgotten something.

But haven't you been known to pack unnecessary things in that bag?

The chances are you did this today. Not with material things of course, but with burdens from the day before, the day ahead and the hours upon you.

Us moms we carry the suitcase of GUILT!

Here's what Max Lucado says about our suitcase of guilt.

The sack of discontent. You drape a duffel bag of weariness on one shoulder and a hanging bag of worry on the other. No wonder you're so tired at the end of the day. Toting those kinds of bags is exhausting.
What you were saying to me, God is saying to you, " Set that stuff down! You're carrying burdens you don't need to bear."

"Come to me," he invites, " all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28
If we let him God will lighten our loads.
But how do we let him?

May I invite an old friend to show us? The first few verses of 23rd Psalms.
The Lord is my Shepard;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
e leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

Have you been packing your purse with some burdens of your own? Do you think God might use Davids psalm to lighten your load? Traveling light means trusting God with the burdens you were never intended to bear.

Why don't you try traveling light? Try it for the sake of those you love. Have you ever considered the impact that excess baggage has on relationships?

We've made this point at our church by virtue of a drama. A wedding is reenacted in which we hear the thoughts of the bride and groom. The groom enters, laden with luggage. A bag dangles from every appendage. And each bag is labeled: guilt, anger, arrogance, insecurities. This fellow is loaded. As he stands on the altar the audience hears him thinking, Finally a woman who will help me carry all my burdens. Shes so strong, so stable, so.......

As his thoughts continue, hers begin. She enters, wearing a wedding gown but, like her fiance, covered with luggage. Pulling a hanging bag, shouldering a carry on, hauling a makeup kit, a paper sack-everything you could imagine and everything labeled. She has her own bags: prejudice, loneliness, disappointments. And her expectations? Listen to what she is thinking: Just a few more minutes and Ive got me a man. No more counselors. No more group sessions. So long, discouragement and worry. I wont be seeing you anymore. He's going to fix me. 

Finally, they stand at the alter, lost in a mountain of luggage. They smile their way through the ceremony, but when given the invitation to kiss each other, they can't. How do you embrace someone if your arms are full of bags?
For the sake of those you love, learn to set them down.
And for the sake of the God you serve, do the same.
He wants to use you, you know.
But how can he if you are exhausted?


God has a great race for you to run. Under his care you will go where you've never been and serve in ways you've never dreamed. But you have to drop some stuff. How can you share grace if you are full of guilt? How can you offer comfort if you are disheartened? how can you lift someone else's load if your arms are full with your own?

For the sake of those you love, travel light.
For the sake of the God you serve, travel light.
For the sake of your own joy, travel light.

There are certain weights in life you simply cannot carry. Your Lord is asking you to set them down and trust him. He is the father at the baggage claim. When a dad sees his 5year old son trying to drag the family trunk off the carousel, what does he say? The father will say to his son what God is saying to you.

"Set it down child. I'll carry that one."

"Unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you." 1 Peter 5:7

2nd pregnancy= Oh yeah I'm pregnant

So let me tell ya, it was like it was just moments ago, that my feet still feel relaxed,
 that I took in deep breathes of pure relaxation from my almost daily foot massages from my husband.
 Being pregnant for the first time was a whirlwind alright, but boy oh boy was the treatment spectacular.

Funny how the second time around I have to dangle my feet practically in his face. I get a rub with my socks on and its oh 45 seconds.

I push for the " You know its really alot better with socks off and lotion." He agrees with me. Oh thank God I think, I can still get some special treatment here for helping a life DEVELOP inside me..

The socks stay on the rubbing decreases and boom a whole minute later its over.

I'm 20 weeks pregnant. Thats the only foot massage I've gotten.

With Riley I got texts all the time asking how I was feeling.

Oh let me think, one two, three, fou...not three thats how many I've gotten now. And those were in the first two weeks and when shock was still taking over.

It sure is different with the second isn't?

We took a pregnancy test around the same time I did with Riley. It was exciting and shocking of course like it always is for some reason.

When will we learn that unprotected sex pretty much means = BABY! :)

We didn't tell anyone for awhile.
And it was nice.
I liked having our own little secret and I liked not having people ask me all the time how I was.

I think when you are pregnant with the first and people are always telling you advice and asking you how you are, it really keeps you focused on the pregnancy and all the worries.

And although I miss the special treatment from my husband he is also tied up with our daughter. And in all honesty I am feeling just fine! ( But who doesn't love attention from their husbands, when we are constantly reminding them I carried this baby for 9 months and breastfeed it for 15 :)

Second time around, the constant reading of books and searching online are gone!

And that just may be because you have a toddler running around pulling at you every second, or the exhaustion from the baby, work, and toddler, and your husband.

The first time I was pregnant I'll be honest, I gave in to those cravings and hunger pains like I was feeding myself and an 8 pound baby. Heck yeah I was eating for two. ( This was in the first trimester before I found out I had gestational diabetes)

And heck yeah my husband ordered me pizza at 10 p.m. on a work night.

This time I haven't had so called cravings like that. Thank goodness, because I doubt he would do that again...

Or just maybe he would!

Of course being pregnant is exhausting. So I am feeling exhausted. But besides 15 min cat naps you know what the other thing I do that really energizes me?

Riley and I dance.

We start out in the living room and make our way through the whole house.

But its not to any music, its to usually Jars of Clay, but any type of worship music.

Hearing her say to me " Mommy dance" and seeing her crazy awesome funny dance moves and dancing myself knowing we have the next little person coming into our family just warms my heart.

And it has to be worship music because through the dancing we are singing and praising God, and feeling his spirit lift me up is just the best. 

Im reminded of how much he loves us. How precious this time is with our kids as they are young, as we are pregnant, as our marriages shift a bit. 

I am reminded that I have a family. 

So blessed. 

So grateful.

So excited.

So this time being pregnant is pretty sweet!

Our  favorites is Faith like a child. By Jars of Clay.

Here are the lyrics just in case your interested!

Dear God, surround me as I speak,
the bridges that I walk across are weak
Frustrations fill the void that I can't solely bear
Dear God, don't let me fall apart,
you've held me close to you
I have turned away and searched for answers I can't understand

[Chorus:]

They say that I can move the mountains
And send them crashing into the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with faith like a child

Sometimes, when I feel miles away
and my eyes can't see your face
I wonder if I've grown to lose the recklessness
I walked in light of you

[Chorus]

[Little girl:]
"I've got joy like a fountain!"
"Be kind one to others"
"In Jesus Christ Your son"

They say that love can heal the broken
They say that hope can make you see
They say that faith can find a Savior
If you would follow and believe
with faith like a child