Today we have a guest post from Cheryl Hackett. Here is a little bit about Cheryl:A former news anchor turned homeschooling mom of four children six and under, Cheryl Hackett has lots of moments when she feels like the chicken over-heating in the microwave! She blogs about them, and the spiritual insights she gleans from trials under fire (like when her boys cut her necklaces, sprayed Febreeze on her cake, and swallowed a quarter), at Moms In Need of Mercy. In addition to humor and encouragement, you’ll also find practical tips for homemaking, saving money, and becoming better wives and moms.

Cheryl writes:

“Cook for two minutes, turn over, and microwave for two minutes more,” read the instructions on the bag of chicken tenders. Easy enough. A multi-tasking mom, I ran to the bathroom while the chicken was warming in the microwave and came back to a kitchen filling with smoke. Looking around, I didn't see anything on fire. Was there an electrical fire behind the wall that I couldn't see? Then I remembered the chicken in the microwave.

What I found was charred chicken tenders and a plastic plate with a hole completely melted through. All in two minutes. Impressive, even for our out-dated '90's microwave.

Then it hit me: this was the perfect picture of my day. I was just a few minutes away from my own meltdown, but, unlike the microwave, in my attempt to be a better mom, I was fighting hard against it.

Ironically, this bad day was just two days after my inspiring day of realizing we are anointed and empowered to thrive in our roles as moms. Then, I felt on top of the world, determined to be a super mom for my kids in God's supernatural strength. Now, I felt like I was going to blow.

But the thing is, I didn't really want to. I didn't want to lose my temper. I didn't want to say unkind things. I didn't want to tell my children that just about everything they were doing this particular day was driving me nuts. I guess that's progress, spiritually speaking.

Nonetheless, fighting against your own bad mood is very uncomfortable. Part of you just wants to give into it. The other part of you doesn't. So you're wrestling against yourself.

It seems fitting that the page I was on that day in my Bible study was titled "Opposition to the Anointing":

"At salvation all believers are anointed, and yet many do not live in accordance with this great power they have been given. Instead of tapping into God's divine empowering to live the abundant life promised in Scripture, they seek to live in their own power and strength detached from the lifeline of God within. This leaves them depleted, frustrated, and less capable of handling the Enemy's attacks." – Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed by Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur

Scripture acknowledges this dilemma. We are “weak in our natural selves,” as Paul writes in Romans 6, verse 19. Yet, as a believer in Christ, I don’t have to succumb to a bad mood, harsh words, impatience, irritation, or an angry temper. There is a “control of righteousness,” where “the benefit you reap leads to holiness.” (verses 20 and 22).

We, unlike the plastic plate in the microwave, have a choice as to whether we are going to melt down under pressure or not. As Christian moms, we have a helper--the Holy Spirit--to help us remain calm, kind, and loving even when we feel like succumbing to a bad mood brought on by the heat of the day. Through His grace and power, we can be the better moms we aspire to be each and every day.

"Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:57).

Blessings,

Cheryl

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