Going to Allume last year was good for me in a hundred thousand ways. It was my third year to attend this amazing conference where so many of my precious online friends have become the kind of in-the-flesh friends whose numbers I dial without thinking when something exciting happens or when I desperately need prayer.
I love what happens when women who share one heart for the Lord and one desire to make Him known gather together … the energy is palpable. I always think it’s a glimpse of what heaven will be. Lingering conversations and deep connections rooted in a shared love for the Lord.
But last year was also the year I realized my season of attending multiple conferences per year was over. My girl is in her last year of middle school. She is a cheerleader and she’s enjoying her second year in her school’s Show Choir. She’s taking Pre-Algebra {hold me} and her social life continues to blossom. All that added to my fervent desire to be intentional about her spiritual growth and a real awareness her days in our home are getting fewer quickly led me to the decision not to attend any conferences this year that required me to be away from home more than one night.
Many who will be attending Allume {and other conferences} will be in the same boat I was last year. I missed one of my girl’s Show Choir productions. In fact, I wrote about it during the live Five Minute Friday party and even shared my post with the group there.
How do we deal with being away from home when we know we’re missing moments with our families?
Here are a few ideas for managing the mommy guilt that can accompany our time away from home.
Stay connected.
Thank the Lord for phones and Skype and Facetime! You can still read bedtime stories and make sure the outfit for the dance look cute. Decide with your husband and your children how much interaction you will have while you’re gone … and then do what you’ve agreed! Set an alarm and be willing to leave even the best session at the event in order to listen to your first grader tell you about the spelling test. 🙂
Leave a piece of you behind.
Leave little notes for your family or make their favorite snacks for them to have while you are gone. Let the kids pick out one of your shirts to sleep in while you’re gone. Make a countdown for them to mark how many days you’ll be gone. Don’t leave out your older kids in this … they may be cool teenagers but they still love to know their momma is missing them.
Bring them a surprise from your trip.
Even just a postcard from the airport to show where you were will help your kids be sure you were thinking of them while you were gone.
Enjoy your time away!
Don’t let your joy be robbed by unnecessary feelings of guilt for being away. The time of connecting and growing and worshiping is absolutely okay! And the refreshing time you experience will be a blessing to your family as you come back home.
Here’s the bottom line: God is doing an amazing work through the Allume conference and community. And where God is working, the enemy is working harder. Go and be encouraged and challenged! And then come home to your family refreshed, inspired, and ready to love on them.
How do you deal with mommy guilt when you’re away from home?
Wishing I could give you all a hug in Greenville,
Laila says
September 20, 2013 at 11:54 amI struggle with this a lot as I have to leave my son with a sitter while I’m gone. I share with my son where I’m going and WHY. And I definitely plan to bring him something back to let him know I was thinking of him while I was gone.
TeriLynneU says
September 23, 2013 at 10:12 amLaila, I’ll be praying for you. And for you son.
Gretchen Louise says
September 20, 2013 at 1:41 pmBeautiful post, Teri Lynne.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who knew it was the year to be at home. <3
TeriLynneU says
September 23, 2013 at 10:10 amGretchen, thank you. We’ll have to tweet the weekend together from home! 🙂
Lara Sadowski says
September 20, 2013 at 2:14 pmI do not have kids of my own, but I am a stepmom to one amazing 16 year old (he lives a mile from his daddy and me)! Since I am in a different season of my life, I volunteer to be a listening ear and a provider of massive amounts of dark chocolate to any momma who is missing their kiddos. Oh, coffee, too!! With vanilla. And hazelnut. And extra foam. You get the picture!! 🙂 <
TeriLynneU says
September 23, 2013 at 10:10 amLara, you are awesome! And I know there will be many mommas who are thrilled to take you up on that offer!!
alic benson says
July 13, 2015 at 3:54 amOMG!! This is certainly a shocking and a genuine Testimony i have ever
seen..I visited a forum here on the internet on the 20TH OF JUNE 2014,
after my husband separated me and my marriage of 8 years was broken down
and i was totally inconsolable and without hope because i have tried all
means to get my husband back after much pleading and did everything
possible to make sure that he comes back, but nothing worked out for me….
And i saw a marvelous testimony with this email adress
omozespelltemple666@gmail.com of this powerful and great spell caster called
Dr Omoze on the forum.. And i saw how Dr Omoze reunited a family and
brought the Husband of a woman back to her in just 24 hours..I never
believed it, because i never heard nor learnt anything about magic before..
Not a soul would have been able to influence me about magical spells, not
until Dr omoze did it for me and restored my marriage of 8 years back to me
and brought my spouse back to me in the same 24 hours just as i read on the
internet..i was truly astonished and shocked when my husband came to my
house and knelt down begging for forgiveness and for me to accept him
back.. I am really short of expressions, and i don’t know how much to
convey my appreciation to you Dr omoze.. you are certainly a God sent to me
and my entire life and family.. he did his work just as he guaranteed me in
24 hours and it yielded an optimistic result to me and i was able to get my
Husband back. right now my Husband has falling so much in love with me and
my kids like never before. This spell casting isn’t brain washing but he
opened up his eyes to see how much i love and wanted him, i really don’t
know how best to be grateful to you Dr omoze for bringing happiness into
my life and family, and now i am a joyful woman once again.. here is his
Email: omozespelltemple666@gmail.com, or connect him with these number +2348036640164
alic benson says
July 13, 2015 at 3:54 amOMG!! This is certainly a shocking and a genuine Testimony i have ever
seen..I visited a forum here on the internet on the 20TH OF JUNE 2014,
after my husband separated me and my marriage of 8 years was broken down
and i was totally inconsolable and without hope because i have tried all
means to get my husband back after much pleading and did everything
possible to make sure that he comes back, but nothing worked out for me….
And i saw a marvelous testimony with this email adress
omozespelltemple666@gmail.com of this powerful and great spell caster called
Dr Omoze on the forum.. And i saw how Dr Omoze reunited a family and
brought the Husband of a woman back to her in just 24 hours..I never
believed it, because i never heard nor learnt anything about magic before..
Not a soul would have been able to influence me about magical spells, not
until Dr omoze did it for me and restored my marriage of 8 years back to me
and brought my spouse back to me in the same 24 hours just as i read on the
internet..i was truly astonished and shocked when my husband came to my
house and knelt down begging for forgiveness and for me to accept him
back.. I am really short of expressions, and i don’t know how much to
convey my appreciation to you Dr omoze.. you are certainly a God sent to me
and my entire life and family.. he did his work just as he guaranteed me in
24 hours and it yielded an optimistic result to me and i was able to get my
Husband back. right now my Husband has falling so much in love with me and
my kids like never before. This spell casting isn’t brain washing but he
opened up his eyes to see how much i love and wanted him, i really don’t
know how best to be grateful to you Dr omoze for bringing happiness into
my life and family, and now i am a joyful woman once again.. here is his
Email: omozespelltemple666@gmail.com, or connect him with these number +2348036640164
..
alic benson says
July 13, 2015 at 3:54 amOMG!! This is certainly a shocking and a genuine Testimony i have ever
seen..I visited a forum here on the internet on the 20TH OF JUNE 2014,
after my husband separated me and my marriage of 8 years was broken down
and i was totally inconsolable and without hope because i have tried all
means to get my husband back after much pleading and did everything
possible to make sure that he comes back, but nothing worked out for me….
And i saw a marvelous testimony with this email adress
omozespelltemple666@gmail.com of this powerful and great spell caster called
Dr Omoze on the forum.. And i saw how Dr Omoze reunited a family and
brought the Husband of a woman back to her in just 24 hours..I never
believed it, because i never heard nor learnt anything about magic before..
Not a soul would have been able to influence me about magical spells, not
until Dr omoze did it for me and restored my marriage of 8 years back to me
and brought my spouse back to me in the same 24 hours just as i read on the
internet..i was truly astonished and shocked when my husband came to my
house and knelt down begging for forgiveness and for me to accept him
back.. I am really short of expressions, and i don’t know how much to
convey my appreciation to you Dr omoze.. you are certainly a God sent to me
and my entire life and family.. he did his work just as he guaranteed me in
24 hours and it yielded an optimistic result to me and i was able to get my
Husband back. right now my Husband has falling so much in love with me and
my kids like never before. This spell casting isn’t brain washing but he
opened up his eyes to see how much i love and wanted him, i really don’t
know how best to be grateful to you Dr omoze for bringing happiness into
my life and family, and now i am a joyful woman once again.. here is his
Email: omozespelltemple666@gmail.com, or connect him with these number +2348036640164
.