Parenting Just Isn't Easy

I just want to share something that is on my heart about parenting. Ok, here's the major revelation...........It's not easy. Shocked aren't you?
Here's my point. Yes, there are people who are just naturals at it, but they too have bad days. You know we even think it should be really easy to have a close relationship with our children, that we should know them better than anyone else does just because we carried them and gave birth to them. Here's the problem with that concept. It doesn't take into account how busy we are, especially as homeschooling mom's. You know, I have recently shared with you that I am having to work on winning my children's hearts, because at some point along the way I began to lose them. I know why it happened. It happened because of busyness and responsibility. Between, cooking, cleaning, homeschooling, bill paying, errand running, training, disciplining, mothering, wifing (don't think that's a word, but you know what I mean), laundry, refereeing, etc. I began to lose their hearts. Does that mean I wasn't being a good mother? Of course not, they are very well taken care of. All of their physical and spiritual needs are met, just not their emotional ones. So what does that all mean? It means I have to work at it and that's ok.
My point is, don't look around at all the "supermom's" who seem to have it all together and measure yourself. For years I felt insecure in my role as a mother. I felt totally inadequate. I had a messy house, depression, problems in my marriage (my fault) and major anxiety, but my friends thought I was "supermom". They said they would never have guessed what I was actually going through. From the outside our marriage seemed to be working better than just about anyones (I do have an amazing husband, Thank you Lord), my children always looked so cute and were so well behaved and I always seemed so put together and like I had it together. Obviously, looks can be deceiving.
Just don't let the enemy make you think, that because it doesn't all come so naturally and that you acutally have to work at it and don't always get it right, you are not a good mother. I don't know if that was clear or not or if anyone needed that right now, but I felt like it was what the Lord wanted me to share.
Just remember that God blesses obedience and sacrifice (and He knows our motives), and obviously if you are home with your children you are sacrificing and being obedient. Don't let the enemy steal the peace and security that comes from the Lord!