Lately I've been trying to adopt what I think is a really important mentality to have as a mother: Tomorrow is a new day. It's difficult. The kids can have a terrible day, take terrible naps, have terrible tantrums (Will), and make terrible messes. I can lose my patience, clean up all (or half) those messes, beg and negotiate all day long with an uncooperative toddler, and make all kinds of mistakes of my own. But everyday I reach a point where I put the kids to bed, take a breath, and think of all those tantrums and mistakes and frustrations and think, "We'll try again tomorrow." It's easy to get stuck on what I could've or should've done. It's easy to get annoyed with repeating the same things day after day with no results, or to blame all my problems on other people (especially the little mischief-maker in the Batman shirt or poor Taylor who just happens to be the only adult I see most nights). It's easy to get discouraged, or overwhelmed, or feel unappreciated. It's easy to do that, but it doesn't make it better.
This past week the Church released a media campaign for Easter entitled, "Because of Him." If you missed the video, here's the link. I've thought about it a lot this week. What does the Atonement of Jesus Christ mean to me? As a mother, I think this whole idea of trying again tomorrow is directly related to the Atonement. Because of Christ, I can start each day anew, even if it's just a second chance at getting Will to eat a vegetable or for me to have more patience. We don't need to make huge, life-changing mistakes to apply the Atonement to our lives. Every day that I need a fresh start, every day that I need to try again, I know that I can gain strength through the Savior. The message of the Atonement is hope--hope that I can be better, stronger, more patient and kinder. Hope that I will get another chance tomorrow. And the next day. And the next...
I am so grateful to be a mother. It is really hard, but it is really worth it. I'm grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that he is my Redeemer, my Savior, and my friend. Because of Him, I can start each day over again and slowly but surely become the mother that I want to be.
