Reminded

As a mommy of two little ones (and so many other mommies have 3, 4, or even 5) I feel a little crazy at the end of a lot of days. So many questions to answer, messes to be picked up, sippy cups to fill, pretend trips to the pumpkin patch to make, fights to referee, dolls to diaper, and the list goes on. I hear the words, "Help me please" over and over again! And this is my job - and really the best one I could ever have. Lately, however, I am feeling crazy within about 10 minutes of being woken up in the morning instead of nearer to the end of the day. Instead of feeling patient and delighting in the curiosity of my sweet little ones, I had been feeling quite a lack of patience and frustration. Don't get me wrong, I still find much joy in my girls! I have been convicted - often - of what a huge responsibility it is to raise a little baby into a toddler and into a child and so on. To raise children into fully functioning, spritiually minded young adults seems like such a huge task. If there was ever anything I didn't want to mess up, this makes the short list!
So, as I have been again processing through all of this and reflecting on how I have been treating my girls (more in my head than in my actions, thankfully) I was reminded of something. When I feel like I don't have more to give them it is clearly because I haven't been receiving myself. What I haven't been doing is taking the time to fill my heart with God. What I haven't been doing is taking time each day to sit and be still before Him and fill myself up. When all is emptied out how can I expect to have anything for these girls?
In Matthew 12:34-35 Jesus says this: "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him."
I was reminded that I need to be filling my heart with things of God so that what flows out on my family is good! How can I teach them the things of God if I am not even spending time with him myself?
One thing that I have learned from having children is a whole new kind of accountability. I want to be the person God created me to be even more because I want them to desire to be His also. I must make time in my day first and foremost for God if I am ever to be all I need to be for my family. I am so thankful that God is so patient with us. I am so ready to store up the good things!