Fight On, Friday Fighters!

10:27 AMHeather

It's Friday, y'all.  Thank God it's Friday.  And not just any Friday, but the Friday before Spring Break here at my house.  I don't know about you guys, but that makes me want to breath a huge sigh of relief.  Then, crawl into my favorite jammies and curl up with a movie.  Or mindless television.  Because, if you know me well, you know it's Say Yes to the Dress night.

Maybe it's just my age or this season of life, but I'm learning to just embrace it and not fight the truth of how I feel about Fridays.  I love them.  I adore them.  Because by Friday, I need to exhale.  I've long thought I should really be more like those Friday people who are making big weekend plans and end their week by getting all dolled up and going out on the town.   Yes--that is what I should be doing, right?  But, truth be told, the only place I truly want to go by Friday night every week is to bed.  

Can I get an amen?

Because life is hard work.  I feel ridiculous saying that or admitting that in black and white.  Because my life is really rather luxurious, compared to others.  I was reminded of this yesterday as a hard working single mother of four dropped by to purchase my daughter's old bedroom decor.  She and I were setting the time to meet, and I mentioned I was heading to a neighbor's for a cup of coffee before school pick-ups.  She made the off hand comment about envying my luxurious life.  

And I thought, yes.  She is right.  I'm rather fortunate with the margins I have as a stay-at-home mom who does contract work on occasion, according to the appointments I set for myself. Because I really have it rather easy, all things considered.

But, listen.  I'm in a huge discovery season of life and I'm realizing that I don't have to fit anyone else's mold or aspire to be someone I'm not or feel guilty for who I am.  Or the fact that I just want to collapse by Friday.  Because for the love of daily school pick-ups and activities and the joys and struggles of raising three human beings, I'm just plain tired by Friday.  

So this post is for every one of you bloggy friends, whether you are an incredible single mom working full-time while raising four children.  Or a mom who wanders the neighborhood for leisurely cups of coffee with a neighbor, I want to tell you something.

Way to go!  

Consider me your personal cheerleader today.  As we enter a weekend and for some of us, a nice long Spring Break.  Here I am, bloggy friends, with my pom poms, cheering for you, and I'm saying way to go.  Way to slug it out.  Doing all the amazing things you do in a day.  The truth of it is that most of us don't even see the greatness we accomplish daily.  Because as I told my daughter the other day, Jesus said greatness is serving others.  Greatness isn't big historical amazing accomplishments of fame and fortune and great feats of strength.  Okay, those things are great.  BUT, the Bible tells us that greatness is the million of tiny things you do everyday to show His love and to serve others.  

So, way to go, Mama of that precious big baby boy whose God is bigger (you know who you are!).  Way to feed him and relish him and change his diapers and love on him and pour yourself out for him.  You Canadian moms of those darling toddlers and preschoolers that I adore--yes, you--way to go!  Way to watch Barney for the millionth time.  And to try to tame that wild haired beauty with a temperament to match.  And work as a nurse while you're raising those precious cousins of mine.  

You mother of mentally ill children who battles her own health concerns daily--WAY TO GO!  You have more on your plate in a day than many people have in a life time.  Yet, you dig into His word and you press on and you keep it real and authentic as you battle daily to keep your little family afloat.  WAY TO GO!  You inspire me.  

You dear friends who are trudging along the path of grief because of recent losses.  Way to go!  You keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Day after day.  You are wrestling and struggling through your doubts and pain and suffering and loss and loneliness.  Fighting through the hard moments of tears and memories that bring both joy and sorrow.  Way to go!  You've made it through another day.  

You dear mother whom I've never met...who sits by your son's bedside in that hospital, faithfully praying for his recovery from a freak accident.  Your incredible generosity to share this journey with the world through social media and news accounts is awe inspiring.  You are fighting a battle daily for your son's life by pleading with your Father and rallying the troops to do the same.  Listen.  Way to go.  Your decision to take Him at His word in this season of life is the stuff of Hebrews 11 heroes of faith.   Way to go.  Another week of progress and fighting is under your belt.  Way to go.  

To the moms of special needs children whose daily life is more complicated than I can even imagine.  Your weeks are filled with doctor appointments and therapies and all sorts of particular care to keep your child healthy.  Your nights can be long and lacking in sleep.  And you wake up every day to do it again.  Cherishing those tiny steps of progress that the rest of us tend to take completely for granted.  I see your special warrior attitude and I am inspired.  Way to go.
 
And you mothers of children who are being cared for by another, halfway around the world--way to go.  You are waiting daily, watching the clock tick, day after day.  Beyond eager to finally embrace your little one in your own arms and bring them home.  Way to go.  You're getting there.  The appointed day is coming.  And the memory building will begin and this long horrific wait will be a distant memory.  

To every other mother of teenagers who daily intercedes on your children's behalf, praying protection from the dangers and temptations that swirl around them... WAY TO GO. 

For you dear teenagers and students I know who actually take time to read a blog written by a middle aged woman-- press on!  I see your faith and maturity and your endless quest for your Savior.  And I cannot even belief you are as wise as you are.  You inspire me.  Way to go!  Way to swim upstream against the culture and work and slug it out to follow your God.  Way to go!

To the dads and men who read my blog, I haven't forgotten you.  I want you to know that God sees.  He sees your fight for your family, to provide and protect them.  To choose purity and His narrow paths in this crazy day and age.  To love your wife and be faithful and to love your children and to be successful at work.  Way to go.  Way to work so very hard for the sake of others.  You are a rock for those around you.  Way to go!

For my amazing friend who faces her own health concerns, eagerly awaiting that operation that will bring healing.  I cannot even get over your tenacity.  Your smile.  Your faithfulness.  You are incredible!  Way to go.  I know God will bring the healing.  Press on, dear one.  You've got this!  

So here we are all.  Soldiers in the battle of life.  Fighting it out, day after day.  Fighting our own demons and battles.  Fighting to overcome obstacles and struggles.  Fighting to choose a path of obedience and faith.  Fighting against long days and tough assignments.  The tedious and the mundane.  The overwhelmingly challenging.  Friday fighters.  

You've made it through another week.  Way to go!  And whether you want to go put on your dancing shoes and get out there and celebrate or collapse in your flannel pajamas--go for it.  

It's Friday.  We can all thank God that He's brought us to another Friday.

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