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Are you working at home now—still? It has become the new normal for many. And for moms, it can be particularly challenging. Our friend, Fran, is struggling to make this new normal work for her and her two young kids. After finally getting them settled this Monday morning, working on their computers, she tries to concentrate on the workload piled up on her own computer.
Fran has an important zoom meeting with her largest client at 10 o’clock so she opens that meeting and three others join her. In the midst of this critical conversation, Alice, her 8 year old, comes in. “Mom, my iPad is not working right today and Drew won’t help me fix it. Can you fix it?” and she tries to hand her iPad to Fran.
Making apologies to her client, she mutes her screen and quickly tries to resolve Alice’s problem. Drew joins the discussion, making it even more difficult, and finally Fran has to dismiss them. “Hey, guys, you’re just going to have to wait until I’m through with this conference, okay?”
They reluctantly leave the room muttering that she’s always on zoom, and Fran returns to her meeting. This shifting of focus is one of the most difficult challenges in working from home for Fran. The kids are always there and she feels guilty when she has to continually remind them that she’s working. But going back and forth from one priority to another is just mentally exhausting.
She takes a break for lunch, and checks in with the kids. Although they really try to stay on task, she realizes that they need more supervision. But she can’t be in two places at once, and this just increases the stress, the guilt and the frustration she is having as a work-from-home mom.
“Oh, Lord,” she lifts up one of those emergency prayers, “what am I supposed to do? My job is as busy as ever, and I know I’m blessed that I still have a job. But God, I just don’t know how to balance all this. I need your help.”
Her prayer reminds her of a verse from Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.” “Ever present,” she repeats. That’s my word for today. God is ever present.”
Maybe that’s a word for you today—God is ever present and he truly can help. So, turn to him when your strength is running low.