Encouragement for the mom whose end-of-the-year is full of emotions and activities

You cleaned up the mess from the class party. You hosted the party for your graduating senior. You purchased the final teacher gift. And now, you are left with yourself and the implications that another school year has passed.

The end-of-the-school year may come as a relief to you because sleeping in, lounging by the pool, and not prodding your child to do homework sound so incredible you cannot possibly grieve the passing of time.

But for others – ok me – the end-of-the-school year causes you to reflect and feel emotional. May doesn’t feel celebratory, it feels nostalgic and sad. I feel overwhelmed by all my feelings and the never-ending parade of extra activities.

So mamas, what do we do? Our calendars don’t allow our hearts to process All The Emotions, yet there’s not one event we want to miss, cancel, or opt-out of. We have no time to process what we feel because we’re so insanely busy. How do we manage the tension between feeling what we’re feeling while doing what needs to be done?

The end of the year is full of emotions.

As our older daughter’s days at her current school wind down, I cry at random times, overreact in others, and use all my willpower to suppress tears that desperately want to fall. I know she’s getting older and I know this is a good thing; it’s what Ryan and I are training her to do. But the factual knowledge that life is changing doesn’t make it any easier to process.

Sweet friend, may you and I remember our God is the God of “and:” grace AND truth, salt AND light, beginning AND ending. God’s kingdom gives space for celebrating AND grieving. He can handle all the feelings you feel today as one chapter closes and the new one waits to unfold.

Perhaps your heart needs to hold two emotions in your hand at the same time: to hold the joy of your child’s progress, how much she matured, and how he is becoming the person God created him to be, and to hold the grief that the season you knew is over, that the new one seems scary, and that you can’t control the outcome.

Being human means you’re able to feel joy and sadness simultaneously, and you don’t need to put down one to hold the other.

You don’t have to push away or suppress your emotions. Instead you can try this one simple practice:

Commit your emotions to God.

So what in the world does “commit your emotions to God” even mean? Like that sounds awesome and beautiful in theory, but how does it work out in real life?

Think back to when you played ball with your toddler or baby; you rolled the ball back and forth to each other. The priniciple of rolling the ball back to God applies here. When you feel an emotion, roll that emotion back to Him. Let Him pick it up and carry the weight. Share what’s rumbling in your heart.

Committing your emotions to God sounds hard, but I promise it’s not. I’m processing life right now using this simple practice, and y’all I don’t have a lot of emotional reserve to think big thoughts right now. This practice is simple and easy: let the emotions come, feel them, and tell God, “I’m feeling sad right now because ____ and I don’t like it.” God meets you where you are in a way that is unique to you and your life.

The end of the year is full of activity.

Team McCormick attended two end-of-the-year school events in five days. And this is just the start. Only 12 more to go in 13 days. Isn’t that crazy? And we only have two kids!

Sweet friend, at the end of the year, remember Who you know. You know the God who is with you, Immanuel. Your calendar may be overwhelmed with activity, but your God never is and He is always available to you. He empowers you to do what you need to do (and want to do!) with grace, strength, patience, joy, and hope.

Whether your child graduates kindergarten, promotes to middle or high school, or graduates from college this May, God is in the middle of it. Beginnings and endings are His handiwork. He has been with you (and your child) every step of this school year, and He will continue to provide every day in the future.

You don’t have to feel overwhelmed by your calendar. Instead you can try this one simple practice:

Imagine your friend Jesus walking next to you at every event and activity.

This practice simply uses your imagination. For any event you attend this season, imagine it’s you + 1.

I’m doing this on a daily basis right now. Jesus is with me at every “I-might-burst-into-tears” school activity, e.g. the end-of-the-year banquet, the leadership hand-off ceremony, and anything that starts with, “This is the last time, I …”

Jesus’ presence calms your heart because you walk into the activity with your loving, kind, powerful, omnipotent Friend by your side. Even when the tears fall and you’re not as “strong” as you like, remember that tears show what you value and Jesus sees every one.

Before you go mama, may I pray this blessing over you? Go in grace and peace this day knowing that Jesus handles your every emotion with grace and is with you every minute.

A blessing for the mamas at the end of school

We confess that we don’t have all this figured out. Remind us to turn in Your direction because You bless us and keep us, and Your face shines upon us. Please teach us to be kind to ourselves and give us the strength to be kind to others. Show us today what it looks like to feel our feelings as we do what we needs doing. We won’t know what to do unless You teach us, show us, and lead us at the slow pace we can keep. Allow us to rest knowing that we are always in the palm of Your mighty, never-failing, always-gentle hand. Amen.

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