“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” Galatians 6:9

This verse is a common parenting verse—one that I am sure many a mamas has posted on her refrigerator, bathroom mirror, and nursery wall for decades. And it is a good one—reminding us that there is an end reward in what we are doing, that it is worth doing well and not giving up.

I love verses and inspirational quotes as much as the next person, but I also like practical application—so here you go! Five Ways to Not Grow Weary in Well Doing!  🙂

1. Surround yourself with like-minded people—so that when you feel like giving up, you have people around you who do not feel that way at that moment.

One of the most discouraging things to do in parenting is to be with others who also feel like giving up—continually. We all have those days. We all have times when we need someone to come alongside us and tell us it is worth it, you can do it, don’t give up. But if we surround ourselves with Debbie Downers who always see the negative and always feed our times of discouragement, it will be hard to get back up when we get down. The good thing about having a few people in our lives who believe in what they/we are doing is that hopefully we are not all weary at the same time!

2. Have written goals some place that you can refer to often.

Whether they are goals to homeschool for thirty-five years (I didn’t start out with that one!) or goals to raise your children for God and not just decide it is too hard, so I just need to do what everybody else is doing, having those written out and referring to them can remind us of what we were feeling and thinking at the time we decided to have seven kids and go the long haul with homeschooling. Sometimes we just need taken back to the place where we were called to do what it is we are doing. (If you have a like-minded husband, review these goals from time-to-time—or ask him to continually remind you when you are weak what you two decided in the first place. This has been invaluable to me!)

3. Don’t take on too much outside of your goals.

We become especially weary when we are trying to do too much (so we can’t do what we need to do really well) or when we are rushed. Go through your schedule, your days, your activities, and strip away the things that do not help you meet your parenting goals. When you have less to do, you can focus on your relationships, the good times, the teaching moments, and the final goal much better. Every single time we cut out, reduced, evaluated, and stripped excess away, I was a better mom, and our home ran more smoothly.

4. Likewise, don’t confuse homemaking, busy-ness of living, and extra work that we often make for ourselves as meeting our goals.

What really helps you meet your goals? Is it more home cooking? Is it more crafting? Is it more garage sale shopping? What of those things are necessary to live and what things do you do because you feel like you should or have to? So many times I became too busy with the craziness of living—of making a home, of planning and cooking and sorting and…you get the idea…that it actually got in the way of my parenting. And then did I grow weary. I didn’t understand why if I was doing all of this to run my home, it was so exhausting and didn’t seem to yield fruit in my children. Determine what you really NEED to do…and do those things.

5. Get some end goal snapshots in your head.

Whether these snapshots are in the form of what you want in your home with your own kids in ten, twenty, or thirty years or in the form of other families who have done what you want to do successfully, these pictures are like goals in art form! Even thirty years ago, I knew what I wanted—I saw families with teens who were doing what I wanted to do in my home down the road. I kept their pictures before me—not as idols but as reminders that my goals could be met. I could parent in a character-training, heart-reaching way.

6. Enjoy your family.

Don’t get so caught up in goals and in big pictures that you miss what is right before you at this moment. I used to have this habit of breathing in the situation. When I was in the midst of family happiness, I would close my eyes, breathe in, and ask God to help me remember this moment. I know it sounds silly, but I can actually remember specific instances of doing that and where I was and what I was so happy about at that moment. (One of them is when my fifth baby smiled for the first time!) If we have children, we have so much to be thankful for and enjoy right there. Don’t let weariness steal that joy of family.

Don’t grow weary! It is worth it! You can do it!  🙂

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Okay, I realize that most of my readers are not in their golden years. However, most will be someday. And I’m finding that, that someday is not quite as far away as I like to think for me, LOL.

This week when I was cleaning my office, I was reminded of a really great way to have  memories close by in your golden years. I was going through old files, cleaning out drawers, and organizing when I came across several notes, cards, and letters from my kids. And some from them to each other.

I had to send my assistant out on a quick errand here and there in the garage because it was hard to keep the tears from coming down. In rereading these notes, I was so happy that I started the practice of tucking cards and notes in various places – under the silverware caddy, in my underclothes drawer, in my hairbrush basket, and more.

Every time I clean I find one. And every time I find one I am reminded how blessed I am as a mother, of the time period in which the note was written, and even the personalities of my children at the times of the notes.

I think this is a win win win situation – I will have these more memories close by forever, I will be encouraged to clean when I am old, and I will remember child’s personality at that time. Such a blessing!

Check out some of my notes below–they are priceless!

Found two more notes today from nearly twenty years ago. Still complain when Ray drives and still do not make him spaghetti enough. But Joshua does include Kara nowadays. And he never yells at her. At least some of these stuck! Lol!

Kayla’s note to Joshua–promising to try to work things out better when company is here–reminds me of the many conflict resolution sessions we had with our kids over the past thirty years.

Jakie–after he wrote the note, he had to add a PS because he wanted to assure me that he would improve his handwriting! LOL!

Kayla–thanking me for the investment in her and hoping it pays off. Only Kayla would use words like investment in her greetings!!!

 Cami–thanking us for “giving the kids” Jacob for a “present”!

Josiah–WORDS of affirmation (Proverbs woman/best mom in the world!)

Kara–coupon to Don Pablo’s (our favorite place to do “discipleship” during the school day!–that can’t be used unless she is with me!

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