Help when running on empty

Mary at Owlhaven asked, "what do you do to rejuvenate when you are drained and feel like you have nothing more to give?" She was soliciting the best mood-lifters. Now Mary has had the flu; that's a really real reason to feel drained on a completely different level. I tend to just be mentally drained, or more often irritated to the breaking point. Like when I've planned a great outing and suddenly Brian is no longer feeling well enough to join us and the children are not obeying, and my snipping is starting to turn into exploding... A lot of times I get it wrong, but sometimes, by God's grace I get it right. This is the message I left Mary, and I'm sharing it with you too. Maybe you're having "one of those days." And maybe it will help me to remember. I'm glad that she asked.

When I'm drained and have nothing more to give I tend to start taking it out on my perceived drainers (read "kids"). I won't pretend that I've gotten smart enough to always do this, but when I have, it has been like a miracle. I take my children by the hands and gather them to me. I tell them that I can't do all of this by myself, that I'm sorry that I've been grouchy, and let's pray together for Jesus to help us. And we pray for the children to obey Mommy, and for Mommy to be kind. Often we were headed out somewhere before the breaking point approached, and what seemed impossible to pull off becomes possible again. And it does make a huge difference. It changes our hearts. And that, after all, is what really needs revived.