Give that mom a pat on the back

Being a mom of little ones can be exhausting. The diaper changing, endless laundry and temper tantrums can leave us drained. But I think moms with kids at any age can feel that way. When I imagine parenting teenagers... yikes.

So we bounce along and do our best, trying to live up to the job description. Our purpose in doing it all gets drowned out by the to-dos and daily battles. We lose sight of the bigger picture. 

That's how I felt last week when I received an unexpected email telling me I was doing a great job with my kids. I had tears while reading it. And I have tears thinking about it still. I needed that. 

Encouragement is so important. It costs almost nothing to give -- just a few words or strokes with a keyboard. Yet, many of us withhold it. 

I'm not talking about flattery. If you don't mean it, by all means, don't say it. But if you see a mom doing a great job, let her know. I think we could all use a pat on the back sometimes.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up." I Thess. 5:11