Y’all, today was one of those days. You know the kind—where your brain is fried, the coffee is weak, and somehow everyone in your house thinks your opinion is required right now.
Case in point: I snapped at my husband this morning. Something small, something totally unnecessary, something that—if I had been operating on normal human levels instead of “survival mode”—I would have let slide. He, bless him, just took it in stride, probably muttering a quiet prayer under his breath for my patience. And me? I immediately felt that wave of guilt crash over me like the coffee I hadn’t even finished yet.
What’s even worse was I knew he wasn’t having a great morning either. He is just as tired as I am. (Monkey Boy has decided sleep is a WWE match full of pin falls, sleeper holds and a knee to the face)
It got me thinking about how often the Bible talks about the power of words. James 1:19 says,
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
Yep. That’s me. Today I was slow to listen, quick to speak, and—let’s be honest—about five steps ahead in the angry department.
Proverbs 17:28 has another gem:
“Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.”
Wow. There’s something beautifully humbling in that. Sometimes, the wisest thing I can do as a mom, a wife, a human in general, is to zip it. Not because my thoughts aren’t valid—but because the world (and especially my tired brain) doesn’t need every single one of them in that moment.
So, today, my lesson was simple (though my execution was…not so much). When I feel like snapping, maybe I should try:
- Pause. Take a breath. Count to ten—or twenty. Maybe thirty if the kids are still screaming.
- Pray. Ask God to help me speak love, not frustration. Even a one-second whisper is better than a full-blown rant.
- Reflect. Later, when everyone is calm, I can explain myself (without the extra bite).
I’m learning, slowly, that my mouth is powerful. And my words have the ability to either wound or heal, to escalate chaos or calm it. Sometimes, the most biblical thing I can do is…nothing at all. Just wait. Just breathe. Just let God do the heavy lifting in my heart.
So here’s to all the tired moms out there who sometimes speak first and think later. May we forgive ourselves, make amends, and try again tomorrow. And may our husbands continue to be saints, because y’all, I clearly need him to be.
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