Empty Nester? I Say Bird Launcher!

 As a mom of 8 kids, I imagined that they would all grow up, live near me in our town, have me watch their children, and we would celebrate every holiday and birthday together. When we moved to Florida, I realized that was not going to be the case. Sure, we had chosen to move, but certainly the kids would find a way to make US a priority and come visit. Well, that's not always what happens. My husband and I do go back to Colorado to visit our kids and grandbabies, and sometimes they come here to visit. But not for holidays or birthdays, really. You see, I had this idea that OUR family was supposed to be the priority for our kids...but that's not how God intended it, at least from my perspective.

What the Bible Says-

When each of my children were married, THEY became a family! We might say, "We gained a daughter," or "We gained a son," but really, we launched a FAMILY! That's what is supposed to happen when our children become adults and are married: they create families. My role as their mother stretched beyond preparing them for adulthood (I don't know if I did that very well...), and I became a bird launcher, giving them confidence to spread their wings and soar in t

his thing called adulthood. Each of our children has thrived in life, but they also know they can still call me or my husband to ask advice if they need it, or just call to chat. Would I like my kids to come see me more often? Of course! Do I want them to prioritize my husband and I over their own family? NO! I want my kids to feel confident in going and doing things with just their families and not feeling bad for it! I want them to begin to foster love, confidence, security, and independence in their children, just as we did for them when they were little. 

I believe that the best thing we can do for our children as they grow and move into adulthood, marriage, and parenthood is to support their efforts and give them confidence to become independent families. Our children will always be our babies, no matter how old they are, and they won't cease being our children just because they get married. Helping them to create solid foundations in their families is a priceless gift we can give them.

When you feel as though your children are no longer a part of your life or that you're an empty nester, just remember that they will feel love, supported, and confident when we don't pressure them into prioritizing OUR family over THEIR family. You've done a great job raising your children, mama. Now give them the freedom to do the same!

~Lyn

Come for the journey, stay for the friendship

Welcome back! New season, new blogs posts, and new topics!

 Wow! It has been a few years since I came here to join you all in our journey with the Lord. In upcoming posts, I'll share some insight as to why I've been absent, but for now, let's talk about what is coming for Super Mom the Illusion!!

New Season-

In 2021, my husband, mom, and I moved from Colorado to Florida! It had been a goal for my husband and I to retire here, and the timing aligned beautifully. We quickly found a wonderful church and the people there became our family. I'm not sure how to describe the feeling of just becoming friends with someone yet also feeling as though you've known them for years, except to say, it was a God-ordained joining. When we moved, our kids (all adults at that point!) chose to stay behind in Colorado. That was a difficult transition since we had NEVER lived anywhere without children! The loneliness I felt as a mom, knowing my kids didn't need me, was almost unbearable. I questioned whether we had mad a mistake in moving. But now, three years later, the kids are thriving as productive adults. I talk to most of them weekly, which makes the days go by faster. After our move, my husband took a job as a truck driver, a position he had in Colorado. But this time, he was over-the-road, not regional as he had been, so instead of being gone for a couple of days at a time, he's gone 2-3 weeks at a time. More loneliness began to overwhelm me. The Lord started to whisper in my ear what He had called me to do. I'm called to write, so that is exactly what I intend to do! With this new season, I'll be posting weekly topics on being an "empty nester," getting involved in your church and community, and how to combat loneliness in our senior years.

                            New Blog Posts-

If you've read this blog in the past 10 years, you know that I used to post Christian book reviews. Well, the good news is, we're bringing that back! I had a goal several years ago to read at least 12 books in a year. Since I was reading books and posting reviews of them, that year, I actually completed almost 20 books! As an author myself, I also want to encourage you to write your story. Someone may be waiting to hear what you have to say...and it may just change their life! 

New Topics-

As I mentioned earlier, I'll be posting on being an "empty nester," (though I refer to it as being a bird launcher!), getting involved in your church and community, and combating loneliness. I'll be sharing insights into weekly Scripture reading, what the Lord has shown me through sermons, and cleaning and organizing hacks, vision board and prayer board creation, and so much more. I have some new things in the works, too, that will hopefully be premiering in June, but there are still some details to work out. I'll keep you posted on that!

Finally, I want to hear from YOU! What things are you interested in reading, learning more about, or just want reassurance that you're not crazy or alone in?  

So, starting in February, get ready to jump back into Super Mom the Illusion!!

~Lyn
Come for the journey, stay for the friendship!