The internet is an amazing place, y’all. Through the wonder of it, I get to meet all of these other fantastic blogging mamas who inspire me and convict me and make me totes jelly (sorry…my usually well-buried Valley Girl just jumped right out there) of their beautiful, serene kitchens when mine looks like a bomb went off…and I just cleaned it…10 minutes ago. {Dang kids!}
Sasha is just such a blogger. She takes absolutely gorgeous, peaceful pictures of her beautiful home that make me dream of repainting my entire house in shades of soothing shades of creams, whites, and coffees and decluttering every single surface on a twice-daily basis.
But I don’t just live vicariously through her bright, pretty photos. I’m also inspired by her honest, encouraging words and her creative art.
{She painted that fun wild bird egg art, and you can buy it and lots more original art prints and other great little touches for your home from her etsy shop}
She’s also one of the most fun people to follow on Instagram! If her posts don’t show up in my feed, I track her down and catch up on the last few days. They’re that good!
So, without further ado, I’d like to officially introduce you to Sasha from Lemonade Makin’ Mama.
And now, let’s get on with the interview, shall we?
Out of the possible matriarchal titles (Mother, Mom, Mommy etc.), which do you prefer? Any particular reason?
Mama. I don’t know why really, I just love when I see grown men call their mother “Mama.”
You’re an artist (and a talented one at that!). Do you feel like your art affects (or even flows out of) your mothering process? If so, how?
First of all thank you! I think art has always been a part of my life and my approach to how I operate in life. Even as a little girl, I spent so much time drawing and painting and creating and it became my identity all through high school. I was always that kid in the art room after school making Pep rally posters or Prom flyers and signs, etc. Creativity has always effected the way I approach life, which I suppose, has in turn had effects on my mothering tendencies especially when it comes to parties and celebrations and holidays. I like to do a thing thoroughly and I do hope that makes life more fun for my kids. I think being a creative type makes you want constant beauty around you, and I love encouraging my children in their creative veins. I’ve got a budding musician and an very talented writer so there always seems to be creative chaos happening. Most times I’m just fine with it. Until I’ve heard three stringed instruments being practiced four hours on end, then I can get a little tired of it. Ha!
You have two kids–a boy and a girl. What are the biggest challenges you face in raising both a young man and a young woman for Christ?
Good question. So far, it’s been interesting because they are so different. I’ve always had one who is more of a rule bender and one that is a pretty straight forward rule follower. I think when they were small it was more about behavior and now that they are getting into the tween years (I’ll have a teenager in one month!) I am finding that encouraging them to make faith their own is a bigger thing than how they act because of course our behavior flows from our cornerstone of morals and we get that from figuring out where we stand with Christ. They are starting to really become individuals influenced by their environments so though I want to give them freedom and I do want them to make their own faith based decisions, I want those decisions to come from a personal faith, not a piggy-backed faith that they carried over from me, or from guilt of making me upset. I was raised as a preacher’s kid in Montana and though my parents did so much right, the words, “You better not do anything that reflects badly on your father” rang in my ears and served as a bigger influence in my teen years than just wanting to please the Lord with my choices. I want to push my kiddos gently toward the Truth but trust that God pursues them differently and wants a relationship with them even more than I want that for them. It’s way harder than I thought it would be. I seriously do hallway fist pumps whenever I catch them reading their devotional books or bibles because I’ve backed off a bit on telling them to do it, and am letting them build their own relationship as they feel God pulling at them. (Not to say that we don’t pray together and do family devotions each morning of course.)
What did you want to be “when you grew up?” Where did motherhood factor into that?
Oh goodness. Always a mother. I have all these childish drawings in a school years scrap book of a stick lady in a robe or something, with a baby on her hip and a broom in her hand. Until about middle school then I still wrote “Mother” in the line where it asked future occupation, but I also wrote artist and writer. I thought I would write a great American novel about my childhood for years because growing up in the country the way I did with creeks and bikes and horses and forts and free reign of a town and a general store with penny candy is a thing of the past. Maybe someday I will get around to sharing all my stories.
What’s your best piece of advice for mamas everywhere? (i.e. the one thing that helps you stay the sanest).
I am living it right this minute… “Just do today.” I was the best mother in the whole world. Then I had kids.
I was blessed with a boy who has Asperger’s and ADHD and sensory processing issues, and all that was realized after years of processing issues, fine motor skill issues, speech issues, homeschooling to make it all “work” and trying to spread myself around to deal with a very introverted second child and not leave her out while I slogged through the waters of unknowns. I worried constantly about my son, how he would handle everything that was going to come, how people were looking at how I handled things of the past, worried about the future and the scars my daughter might carry because she was such an internal processor and then I realized, “Hey, God’s got this. NO parent is perfect, and nobody knows exactly what to do all of the time- or even most of the time- and will my kids be messed up? Maybe. But will they know they are loved deeply? Absolutely. How bad can it all go if that’s the one unchangeable fact their life is based on?” And then I relaxed a bit, enrolled my kids in public school, started trusting their story with other people and praying over them every day. One day at a time. Only today. We can’t change the past and worrying about tomorrow is a sin so JUST DO TODAY. And do it to the best of your ability.
Do you have a life verse or one that’s become especially precious since becoming a mom?
Oh yes. When I was worrying about my kids and our son and what to do God gave me this verse- Isaiah 40:11 “He will take care of his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs together
and carry them in his arms;
he will gently lead their mothers.”
I’ve entitled this series Mombassadors because I believe that we have the potential to be ambassadors for Jesus + examples of joy in a profession/calling that’s rife with opportunities for negativity if we let it be. But it takes a very conscious effort/choice on our parts. Because being a mama is hard! What kinds of things do you do to actively choose joy in motherhood?
Practice daily thankfulness. There is always something to be thankful for in every single circumstance and it always changes your perspective if you just keep counting your blessings and naming them out loud.
…………………………………………
I love the “practice daily thankfulness” reminder. So simple and yet so essential to for warding off pity-parties and panic attacks!
Also, “I was the best mother in the whole world. And then I had kids.”
Word.
(Isn’t it funny how much we think we know until we actually get some experience with the thing we’re so sure we know so much about?)
Thank you SO much, Sasha for sharing your lovely home and thoughts on motherhood and life with us today.
And as a thank you to all of you awesome folks, Sasha and I have a great giveaway for you too!
She’s giving away a “Just Do Today” print (I already ordered one for me. LOVE it!) to one lucky winner…
…who will ALSO receive this cute apron!
…which Sasha says is totally representative of her personality (she loves hospitality, entertaining, and making yummy treats! She even hosted a wedding IN HER HOUSE!)
All you have to do to enter to win both the print and the apron is to answer this question:
When I’m tempted to compare and complain, I try to _________________ instead.
If you’d like extra entries, you can also fill out the easy Rafflecopter form below!
Try to remember there us someone out there wishing for no more than what I have right now. It humbles me and puts things into perspective.
I try to redirects focus by reciting & memorizing scripture.
Thank God for His work in my life and in theirs!
Pray 🙂
Tara
I do something I know I’m great at! Distraction from the mind noise + satisfaction at a job well done = no need for comparison, I just reminded myself how awesome I am! 🙂
express gratitude. it’s impossible to be grateful and complain at the same time.
I try to remember that I am who God made me. I try to accept my family for who they are and remember that we are all different. Comparing is something I struggle with on a daily basis.
I remind myself to better thankful of the things that God has blessed me with.
I remind
i try to count my blessings instead.
I try to turn my complaining attitude into a thankful, joyful one.
When I’m tempted to compare and complain, I try to choose joy instead. Comparison is the thief of joy yo’!
A couple years ago my husband and I were going through a very stressful time in our family. There were a lot of changes going on (job loss, moving, selling a house…) I was sitting around feeling sorry for myself, playing the poor me game, moping, and feeling envious of my friends that weren’t dealing with all that. I was reminded of a friend who is a recovering addict. She is amazingly honest in her struggles but also has a very thankful spirit. So I stopped my pity party and pull out a journal. I started writing about all the things I have to be thankful for in my life. When ever I start feeling the pity party coming on or just generally down, I take it out and reread my “Thankful” journal. I seem to always have something new to add after rereading it.
I try to stop focusing on whatever is in front of. Walk away and go find someone to help or to pay it forward with/for… what’s the correct wording there, anyway? Even if that means going to McD’s for a tea and paying for the car behind me or paying for the groceries of the person in front of me or going and buying all the gloves, hats, and coats at Goodwill and driving around downtown handing them out through the car window or dropping off a load of toys and clothing at the women’s and children’s shelter. Something, anything to get my mind off ME.
Usually, I come home and whatever it is isn’t as huge. sometimes, it’s even worked itself out without me hovering over it.
I try to stop and remember just how blessed I am and that my vision is so very limited – we so often compare our behind-the-scenes with other people’s highlight reels. And we can’t see how God is at work in our own situation.
Pray!
I try and switch that gripe to a grateful heart. I heard Lisa Whelchel once say instead of griping about the laundry pray for the one who’s clothes you’re folding. I try and remind myself (several times daily/hourly) how incredibly blessed I am to get to stay home and homeschool. No, I don’t get to lunch with girlfriends often or get a manicure, but I get to watch these boys grow up every hour, everyday. My house is messy and lived in, but boy does it house amazing memories!
I pull the 2 day old half eaten PB&J out of the couch…scrape the spit up off my yoga pants…and thank Jesus I have food to feed 4 healthy kids and clothes to wear. Like her “life verse” says…The Lord “gently” leads us moms and reminds us how blessed we truly are. 🙂
I look through photos on my phone…and smile…and say thank You for this day. Or…sometimes I temporarily fall into a pit of despair! It depends on how much sleep I have had the night before. Just being honest.
Holly
When I’m tempted to compare and complain I remember all I do have to be grateful for. That list ALWAYS outweighs whatever I feel I’m missing out on.
Remember all that I am blessed with!
I try and pray when I start to compare and complain! Some times it works out ok and others God has to send me yet ANOTHER reminder that I am blessed and have much to be thankful for.
Thanks for the give-away ladies. I hope you both have a blessed day. 🙂
I try to Praise! And then think of something(anything!) I can thank God for in that moment:)
Fix my eyes on Jesus!
Love, love, LOVE her response on raising godly children! Amen!
sing!
Pray and remember each blessing – one at a time.
When I’m tempted to compare and complain, I try to be thankful instead. When you compare and complain you lose the value of what you have family, friends and blessings.
I think of my days spent in India. Wow. That’s a perspective changer.
I think about the fact that so many people have far,far less than I do. I’m richly blessed! And then I stop and write down a few blessings in my “Give Thanks” journal.
I’m getting better at shifting my focus on God and all of his goodness! Of course it has taken me years to even get to this point!! I’m so thankful for His grace!!
I think about the wonderful people in this world who have it so much harder than me.
….I fall on my knees and humble myself and ask for His help….
I try to remember all that I am thankful for. I have even made a list of things on my cell phone to go and read and add to. Also works if you scroll thru your photos on your camera. Sometimes I feel like a mom-arrazi but I love capturing everything and later when I do go thru old photos there is no way I can feel jealous when I see the faces of those who i love and who love me.
P.S. I don’t follow blogs by email, but I do follow your blog on BlogLovin’. I’m guessing that doesn’t count though. 😉
Oh, what a beautiful home! I need to go check out this blog. 🙂 And when I am tempted to compare and complain, I try to remember that what I see of someone else’s life is just the tip of the iceberg. I am only seeing what they are revealing to me (especially in the blog world). Thank you for the giveaway!
When I’m tempted to compare and complain, I try to be thankful instead. It takes prayer and it’s all the Lord.
I try to be thankful instead! I start rattling off all the ways I am blessed, over and above what so many in this word have, both spiritually and materially. I realize I have nothing to complain about after all
When I’m tempted to compare and complain, I try to remember my blessings and live out the life God has so graciously given me instead. It can be so hard sometimes, someone can have much more than I do and I can feel just fine with that and be happy for them, but then someone else can just have a little more or something that I don’t, and that ugly game of comparison can be right there ready to go. The devil is always right there trying to make us forget all the wonderful blessings God has given us.
When I’m tempted to compare and complain, I try to remember its not about me instead, that it is truly about the blessings He has given me. This was all hand picked for me by Him, and that makes everything else so small.
I try to stop and remind myself (daily) about all the wonderful ways The Lord has blessed me and my family…there are so many!