Wednesday, February 29, 2012

"You can't do this" and other lies

Sometimes I need a swift whack upside the head.

And by "sometimes" I mean "usually".  Especially lately, what with my pregnancy complaints and wishing for things that are simply not possible in our life right now or whining about things that truly don't matter.  Heck, even whining about things that do matter is pretty freaking annoying.

So there I was, peacefully spending too much time online, justifying it by telling myself something about the older kids being out helping their dad anyway and can't a woman just take a break every now and then, when I got a comment reply notification from Dianna at The Kennedy Adventures. Wanna eavesdrop?  Sure ya do!


"You're a pitiful mother."

"What you're being called to do is way harder than what you're capable of doing."

"Just give up."

"You. Can't. Do. This."

You can't do this.   

I can't do this.

WHACK.  Right upside the head.

Just last night I rambled those exact words to my husband.  "How am I going to make it until June?  How can I be pregnant for almost four more MONTHS?  I'm just so uncomfortable and tired.  I can't do this."

Get behind me, Satan.

I can't do this.  I can't do this?  I, not on bedrest, not disabled in any way, who has the help of an incredibly kind and generous husband, who has older children who love to entertain her younger children, who has the support of incredible friends and a tight-knit parish, can't do this?  Can't do this thing I've done four times before?  Can't do this thing millions of women throughout the ages have done before?  Can't do this thing that my own grandmother did FOURTEEN times?

Get behind me, Satan.

Here is a true story: My friend Mary Kate just delivered her 7th child here on earth.  Via emergency c-section at just 32 weeks and 6 days after an entire pregnancy of bedrest.  Her precious baby is big and strong for his age but he is in the NICU where they have to help him breathe.  And I can't do this?

Get the eff behind me, Satan.

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36 comments :

  1. That last line is my favorite! I was just thinking something similar on my drive home yesterday.

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  2. Thank you for the swift whack! :-) I just whined away in my last post, but you are so absolutely right! This is what God created us to do, girl!

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  3. I think these things all the time. Sometimes it helps if I think, "OK maybe I can't do it all by myself, but GOD can and if he gave me all this work to do he will help me get it done." Sometimes just opening my eyes in the morning seems like too much work, especially when I am pregnant. Also we have been watching Veggie Tales "Dave and the Giant Pickle" since Belle has been sick the last few days (David and Goliath). This whole stay at home mom thing is definitely my giant pickle.

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    1. I'm not even trying to "get it all done", Amanda. Let go of that, too! Just find out what makes your family happy and you peaceful and do that. That's what God wants for all His children- peace. And for us to chop up our giant pickles ;)

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    2. Hmm well I could be lazier than you since my idea of 'getting it all done' goes something like this: "What? I have to make dinner too? But I already made breakfast and lunch!" Oh and trying not to screw my kids up too badly.

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  4. This post made me smile. Dianna must have a sixth sense for knowing just when to be online and help a friend out. She's "talked me out of my tree" on more occasions than I can count. We're all in this together!

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  5. Amen sista --- say with all the authority granted to you!

    In those moments of bombardment that leave me just wanting to quit it all, I can be often found uttering Shakespeare to that evil one:

    "Go! Get thee hence....for I will NOT away!"

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  6. Must be the holy spirit in the air these days!!
    My daughter (who was born prematurely at 32 weeks 15 years ago)had her confirmation last night and in this season of lent and spiritually strengthening, it reminds me of the mantra: God will never give you more than you can handle.
    I loved your post!!

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    1. It must be the grace of Lent! And tell your daughter congratulations :)

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  7. Tell him Dwija!!! ;)

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  8. Love it. I'm in a very similar boat and have been trying to beat back the whinies.

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  9. Have you been reading my mind? Thanks for the whack! :)

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  10. I totally needed to read this today. Newly preggo with #4 and feeling like I'm failing on so many levels...LOTS of laying on the couch doing nothing these days! I can do this AND it's all worth it!

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    1. Newly pregnant is the MOST worst part of being pregnant. I feel your pain! But yes, you CAN and you WILL. Even if your house is a mess for the next 9 months. Growing a human is hard and important work!

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  11. At 7 weeks pregnant and feeling like this nausea is seriously going to take over me, I think I have said "I can't do this" about 200 times just today. We're trying to be holy through our vocations and Satan hates it. Thank you for this reminder.

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  12. I hear you Dweej! Every time I want to open my mouth and whine about something silly, I remind myself I'm incredibly lucky and blessed.

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  13. I'm not even pregnant and I hear Satan telling me these things. Thanks for the power words so I know what to say to him the next time he creeps up on me.

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  14. THIS is why I blog -- to make connections with wonderful women, who GET IT -- who are in the same life situations as I, and understand ME.

    We're building new Saints for heaven -- that's a BIG reason Satan lies in wait for us.

    We're strong, and we're going to kick BUTT!

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  15. You go, girl - tell that Devil to Go. To. Hell.

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  16. love! you, the post... the reminder to stop sulking over stupid things in an otherwise perfectly awesome, God given life. love love love.

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  17. Love, Love, Love this! I say " get behind me, Satan!" multiple times a day. When i am cranking, when I want sweets, when I am tempted to shrug off some duty that needs doing. I NEED to say it way too often. Though I am blessed in usually delightful pregnancies, I worry. With each day that goes well, I worry. Satan whispering all the things that could still go wrong, because they have before. Get Behind Me, Satan!

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  18. Must be something in the air. My "I'm not cut out for this stay-at-home stuff" rant last night ended with, "I didn't quit my over-paid government job to stay at home and co-sleep with popcorn crumbs!" (3-yo decided to have a picnic with a bowl of popcorn on our bed while I was nursing the 4-week old.)

    I had a tough pregnancy - resulted in a c-section 4 weeks ago so still recovering. Finally starting to get out and about but this week has just been a series of hits and misses -- feels like a lot more misses. Thanks for sharing this post. Feeling refreshed and certain we can have more "hits" tomorrow!

    P.S., my grandma had 15 kids!

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  19. Awesome... I may need to come back and read this a few times as I wait out the end of my pregnancy!

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  20. I bet you could even ninja kick satan. I mean everyone would support you. Your husband, your kids, your parish, your twitter friends....

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  21. i don't do anything right, though

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  22. Philippians 4:13
    I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

    My number one most favorite Bible quote of all time.

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  23. I feel ya. I am having such a hard time being pregnant and working my 12 hour night shifts. I feel soo sorry for myself. Even I am sick of hearing myself complain. Here's to more positive attitudes! No matter how big our bellies are!

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  24. amen. I am totalling stealing your last line!

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  25. I tagged you in a post, Dwija. Hope you will want to play along. :-)
    http://lesliesholly.wordpress.com/2012/03/03/eleven-answers/

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  26. You CAN do this! Think back to a four month span of your life. In retrospect, it went by in a flash, right? I'm cheering for you. You can do it!

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