A sure sign you have 2 jobs...

Like a lot of things, I start out with great intentions and then, life happens! One year later, I finally am getting around to writing my first blog post. Interestingly enough, tonight I was watching an episode of "Family Ties" recently...one where the mom, Elise, goes back to work as an architect after being a stay at home mom for 12 years. In the episode, she works herself frantically trying to trying to be Super Mom and trying to be Super Architect at the same time...and wearing herself out in the process.

Have you been there? Do you look around at others in your workplace and feel like you have to outdo everyone else to prove yourself? Do you find yourself looking around at other moms in your circle of friends or in your child's class and feel this pressure to keep up with the Jones's? It can be exhausting! The world we live in today tells us that women can have it all, should have it all and must have it all now. I've been a working mom for 6-1/2 years now, and it is definitely a learning process! It is so funny because a lot of people see the "calm, cool, collected" Jessica that "has it all together" when it comes to balancing motherhood with being a "successful" career woman. Only my husband sees some of the frantic episodes that occur more frequently than you think. Luckily he doesn't rat me out. ;)

So I'm going to burst your bubble...no one really "has it all", but instead finds what works for them. One thing I have really struggled with is finding a true mentor in my work place - someone who I look at & think - I want to do it exactly how she does it. In the field of engineering, that is honestly quite challenging. There doesn't seem to be much of a happy median between workaholic and stay at home mom. What I have ended up deciding was to just blaze my own trail. Once I had children, some of my workaholic tendencies had to either be given up or modified...and recognize that some things might mean some delays in the progression of my work life. This world tells us that women these days can have it all and have it right now. I have recently become very convicted that patience is a virtue that has quickly been dissolving in our world. To honestly have it all "right now", you are going to have to sacrifice something. If what you truly desire is your career, some sacrifices will be required in your family life. If what you truly desire is being at every single event/program for your kids, it will require some sacrifices in your career...so the "right now" becomes "not yet"...not "never", just "not yet". The hard part sometimes is becoming OK with that.

How did I become OK with that you might ask? A lot of prayer! I am the first to admit that I can be one of the world's worst about taking things into my own hands instead of waiting for God's direction. I recently had one of these times...I leaned heavily on my own abilities and ended up frustrated, which spills over into all facets of your life. I did finally come to a point where I came on my knees to God, asking for his path for my life. I'll admit that the answer I got wasn't exactly what I expected, but God granted me with a true peace about it. Often times, we feel like it's not "OK" to be content with taking pride in being a mom or in being a wife...

Well, this post turned out to be rather long, but I did want to sum it up with Scripture. I know the type of woman I want to be...she's not perfect, but she works hard. She is a helpmate to her husband. She is a guide to her children. She honors the Lord in all she does. Some selected verses from Proverbs 31 (NIV):

10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.