6.27.2012

jarred baby food and disposable diapers

I wrestled in my mind with what to title this post.

I'm sure you're saying, huh? Such mundane things.

But to me, these are two very small items in my daily new mommy life that have significant messages to how God is currently shaping me and molding me.  How he's digging into my heart and rearranging some things.  Getting rid of some things.  Replacing some things.


Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
-Galatians 5: 25-26 (NIV)

Or I really like the way The Message words it...

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives.  That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse.  We have far more interesting things to do with our lives.   
Each of us is an original.
-Galatians 5:25-26 (The Message)

So let me break this down before I go any further.

Every detail of our lives. (Yep, God is teaching me through jarred baby food and disposable diapers.)

We will not compare ourselves with each other.  (The heart of this post.)

Each of us is an original.  (That means every. single. one. of. us. There are no exceptions.)

This mommy thing is so precious.  The best role I've ever played.  By far.  God designed me to be a mommy.  I just know deep down He did.  It feels so natural to me.  So right.  So perfect.  And how neat is it that He is using this exact same role that I feel so confident and bold in to strip my heart down and humble me.  Our God is an amazing God.

If you've been reading for long or know me in real life, you know that there are many things I have written about or shared about or you've seen me do in action as a mom.

cloth diapering
making my own baby food
"sleep training"
made my own bows
DIYed tons of her nursery
couponed
etc
etc
etc

We could go on.  But this is where I want to explain.  We read blogs, we chat, we see each other in our everyday lives living out this mommy thing (or if you're not one, you may see and read things that churn ideas and thoughts for how you will be in the future as a mommy).  We see the good mostly.  We see the comparisons.  We focus on the "how she does it part".  We get caught up in what everyone else is doing.  How it should be done.

God has been teaching me a lot about this comparison thing.  He said it right there in scripture, it's not healthy.  It's not how we're supposed to live.  Maybe you've seen the quote floating around Pinterest..."Comparison is the thief of joy."  Seriously, y'all.  True story! God is teaching me to let go.  To be the mommy I know is best for my baby.  Not for anyone else's judgements.  To be confident in how I do things and to reflect.  But to know that this mommy thing is different for everyone.  We're all original mommies.  We aren't here to beat ourselves up.  Or to beat each other up.  We are here to fulfill the role God has blessed us with.  So many times, I read blogs or see something or hear something that makes me think, "oh...if only I could do that...could be that....could...." That's not healthy.  I want to live my daily life pointing to God.  He's the one that provides daily grace in my life.  He's the one that makes me the original mommy that I am.  What I am in His eyes is all that matters.

So I don't want to be someone that you may read my blog or see me in person and think, "oh...I wish I could do it that way...or be that way..."

So to help you out.  To keep you from comparing like I often do.  Here's two things that I don't do...

I don't cloth diaper full time.  We've had crazy leak issues with the cloth.  We use disposables unless we're just around the house or heading to Adeline's grandparents'. 

I make some of my own baby food.  Not all.  I am a big believer in organic food and staying away from preservatives and artificial stuff for Adeline for health-sake.  But she eats jarred baby food.  Gasp.

To me...those two things have been huge in how God has taught me to let go.  (Those are just two in a long list.)  Those two things represent something that I have heard so many times from other moms that it's so neat that I do that...that they wish they could be a "good mom" and do that.  Gross.  No.  If you're baby is happy and healthy and you're doing the best you can.  You are a good mom! What works for one...doesn't work for the other.  We are all originals.  The other side of this is, no.  I do not consider myself better than you or that my way is more perfect than yours because of these things.  It's what works for our family.  We are all originals.  God said so.  Not one of His children is better than another.  I believe it whole-heartedly.

So where do we go from here?

We show grace.
To ourselves and to each other.

We lift each other up in the Spirit as He does for us every single day.

We live transparently in a way that points to the Savior.  

He gets the glory for this mommy role.  Not us.

And we let go and live the life of the Spirit in every detail of our lives...jarred baby food, disposable diapers, and all.

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17 comments :

  1. I love this post. I've been following you for a while now and I can honestly say, I've wondered if I could do some of the things you do with your little one. This post has opened my eyes and made me realize that it's not about what you do as a Mommy that shapes my child, it's what I do with Connor when he arrives. Thank you for this amazing message.

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  2. What a wonderful, inspiring post! I am sitting here smiling and thinking "Rock on, Girl!" :) There is so much judgement between Mommies sometimes, and it bothers me so! I completely agree with what you've said, and I have had it on my heart for a LONG time, but haven't found the right words, ya know? Thank you for posting this!

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  3. This post is SO TRUE! I wrestled with the fact that EC didn't like my baby food since I didn't want to do jar/pouch food. Turns out the first time she had some she went NUTS. I had made her just about every type of food homemade and she wanted pretty much nothing to do with it. So I just let it go and we are completely on jar/pouch food with the exception of fresh bananas and avocados. She still loves those. Isn't it so funny how you change your idea of what is "best" for your baby? I had grand visions of her never "having to" eat jar food (HAHA) because I was going to make the best most organic food at home. So funny when I think back on that thought :-)

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  4. Beautiful post! Sometime I have to remove myself from the digital world because there is so much comparison and the chance to 1.) feel bad about yourself or 2.) make others feel bad about themselves! Thanks for the reminder from God's Word on how we should focus ourselves.

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  5. Love your post! Its so true too..especially on blogger alot of us moms compare tips/tricks/etc with what everyone else is doing and we 'think' we should be doing this or that different. I love how you incorporated scripture into what you were saying too..God made us all individuals..so yeah its only natural that we are individuals when it comes to mothering as well!!!
    PS..I have NEVER cloth diapered and never really desired to..I'm sure alot of people would gasp over that one! LOL!

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  6. Yep...we just talked about this! Moms dont spend enough time building each other up!

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  7. Good post, Cait, and so true! It's so easy to get down on ourselves as moms, but we each know what's best for our own families!

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  8. I really love this post!
    WHY do we all feel the need to judge other moms or like we are being judged BY other moms? Its our child, our family, our choices! I have learned that so much since becoming a mom. Not that I sit around and judge other moms persay, but I have really found that to each their own...maybe it's not the way I'd do it, but it's right FOR THEM! This post was a blessing to me.
    And just for the record, we haven't been in cloth for several months and honestly, I don't miss it. And I made all of Callyn's food until we went on vacay and gave her jars and she refused mine when we got home. I think the gerber stuff is just much smoother or something and she liked it better. So there you go. It happens and you are a wonderful mama!

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  9. Love, Love, Love this post! I completely agree. You are such a wonderful momma and person!

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  10. Thanks for this post! I tried to make my own baby food, and just didn't have time. I often feel like, "Oh, I guess I'm not a good enough mom because I didn't make my own food." But that is so silly! I need to do what works for me and not compare myself to others! Thanks for the reminder!

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  11. this post pulled at mt heart!!!! ever since e was born it has been soooo hard not to compare what other moms are doing with their babies the same age as e! or how advanced their baby is etc. this has really been hard for me and has made me feel like a bad mom if e wasn't doing all the same things. and i have been struggling with whether to cloth and make my own food for e too. sometimes i just have to take a break from the internet. thanks for sharing this cait!!

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  12. Love, love, love this!! So true!!

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  13. Oh I love this. How true this is!!! I can so relate. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. WOw. Cait, I really needed this. Sometimes I look at other moms and wish that I could make my own food, or I wish that I would have done cloth diapers but my baby is completely happy and healthy. I don't look at the positive and it's right in front of my eyes. You are a wonderful mom and you are so encouraging on this blog. YOung moms like us need this kind of encouragement, so thank you!!

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  15. Wow, I just love how God works, I heard a similar message on Sunday, and feel blessed to have stumbled across this wonderful reminder again today. Each of us is an original. If I could put my focus on perfection behind me and focus on my purpose more, I pray God will use me too to share, be transparent and encourage others the way you have for me today. Thank you for sharing!!

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  16. Somehow I missed this post but I am now seeing it thanks to Emily for sharing it on her blog! This is so wonderfully written and spoke directly to my heart! I have a big problem with comparison and I think it's even worse as a blogger. While my comparison issues aren't as much directly related to being a Mom, it's still hard to get past it and remember that God loves me for who I am- not what I have or what I look like. Thanks for sharing your heart Cait. You are a wonderful Momma- disposable diapers and all!

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  17. Great post. I've struggled with this a lot- especially when it came to breastfeeding as you know. It is so easy to judge yourself and to judge others. Most of the time I think we are our own worst critics. It's also easy to state all the reasons not to judge someone else, but still fall ito it over and over again. Finding our true identity in Christ and having it come before our identity as a mom is so essential and doesn't necessarily come naturally. I think we have to make a conscious effort to tap into it and be in continual communication with Him in order to live it out daily. It's tough but it is comforting to know we are all fighting similar battles.

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