Calming The Mama Drama

Calming the Mama Drama

Lynn Cowell

Oversleeping on school picture day is not a great way to start the morning. I ran to my daughters’ rooms, blurting out words of panic. At first they groaned, “Oh no! Not today!”

I braced myself, sure that the drama would start at any moment. Yet minutes later, I heard silliness and singing. I heard kindness instead of quarreling. They chose not to take out the stress on each other.

I wish I could say my girls learned this from me, but that’s not the case. In fact, God has been working on me about my own mama drama, challenging me with truths that instruct me to be “completely humble and gentle … patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Too often, when my expectations aren’t met or I’m faced with things I can’t control, my emotions spin out of control. Before I know it, I’m talking before I even think about what I’m saying. All that wise instruction about being humble, gentle, and patient is quickly forgotten.

What about you? Do you ever yell at your kids or let frustrations mount when things don’t go as planned? Do you suffer from a little mama drama?

That morning God gave me another opportunity to choose humility, gentleness, and patience with my girls. As we were walking out the door, I realized I had not filled out the picture order forms. Scrambling to find the papers and my checkbook, I felt the pressure mounting again.

I had a choice: let my emotions explode or choose humility.

Thankfully, I paused and gave way to the Holy Spirit’s leading. And my desire for peace to become my new norm and to leave mama drama behind was successful!

So, how do we choose humility and patience when dealing with our kids?

If time allows, I’ve found it helpful to pull away from the situation and give myself a time-out. Removing myself affords me the opportunity to ask God to help me regroup my runaway emotions and submit my thoughts to the control of the Holy Spirit. Pulling away also shows my kids the benefits—patience and gentleness, for example—that result when I don’t allow my emotions to rule over me. If there isn’t time to physically remove myself, there is always enough time to take a deep breath and invite the Holy Spirit to bring me wisdom and self-control.

When we surrender our emotions, actions, and reactions to God, peace can become our new norm as we leave mama drama behind!

Dear Lord, help me to leave behind mama drama and use me to be a peacemaker in my home. I want to learn to give myself a time-out and ask the Holy Spirit to enter each stressful situation in which I find myself. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

REMEMBER

When you surrender your emotions, actions, and reactions to God, peace can become your new norm.

REFLECT

When does God have to exercise His gentleness and patience toward you? How might He help you, in turn, display that same gentleness and patience toward others in your life?

RESPOND

Spy on your life today, looking for opportunities to exercise humility, gentleness, and patience. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see these opportunities and give you the power to respond.

POWER VERSES

James 1:5; 1 Timothy 6:11