Recently, I've been really struck by how much effort and work it takes to be a parent. You would think that after you have your child the hard part is over and now its just time to feed and water, right? Man, is it ever a high calling to be a parent.
I've been going through some stuff lately- some emotional stuff. I've seen my son react in ways that are both positive and negative. While I think that it's good to share with our kids some of life's ups and downs and teach them how to deal, I've been struggling with feeling like my stuff is spilling into my son's life. So, there in essence, comes the title-Get in the Zone.
My life up until I had my son was lived mostly for myself. I did what I wanted to do and lived how I wanted to live. I have had THREE things come into play that completely revolutionized that course. #1, I fully surrendered my life to the belief in God and that he loved me enough to draw me unto him. I am thankful for what he has done for me, therefore I now live my life to serve him. So now I don't WANT to live for me any more, because I know that in living God's way, my life will be best. #2, I got married. If you think you will get married and live for yourself, you are sadly mistaken and in for a life of misery. Marriage is about caring for another person. You must put there needs above your own and put your needs beneath theirs. You can't live for yourself there anymore either. #3, I had my son, Carter. Now I have the distinct inability to live for myself. If I focus all of my energy and time on my woes and whims, I find myself caught up in a cycle of selfishness that brings pain to all the ones I love. It's not about me anymore. Thankfully, God says that when we lose ourselves we can fully gain him and he will give us all we need. I trust in that because I've seen it proven time after time.
So, it's time for me to get in the zone. To stop letting every little wind blow me here and there. To stand firm in the love of God and the power I have as his daughter. To put my every effort into raising my son. To not let any issues that are going on in my life between me, my husband, or anything else cause me to parent him in less than a way that he deserves. He deserves the best childhood ever. One filled with love, peace, and joy that can only be given to him from a mother who makes the choice every day to live her life "in the zone".
It is NOT easy to live life "in the zone". Emotions can cause us to get side tracked and forget what we have to do. I like to think of when I was a kid and what I remember needing from my parents and what would have made me feel safe. I am choosing every morning to make a decision to not live for myself, but to make sure my son has an environment to grow up in where he can blossom to his full potential.
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