Wine and Jesus

This topic has been on my heart a lot lately. Recently I read a book that addressed my recent feelings on the topic of motherhood and wine. Guess what? I am guilty of exactly the behavior I want to change.

Kids are crazy, send wine. Rough day, need a glass of wine. Need wine, because kids. It is said in a million different ways all discussing the perfect pairing to motherhood is wine, and lots of it. I am guilty of pouring a glass at the end of a long day using a hashtag of #mamaneedswine. The other day I started to utter the words, “need wine” recently after a particularly hard day and then I paused. What if I turned to Jesus when I wanted to turn to wine? What if I stopped in prayed instead of stopping to pour? What if in my time of need I remembered that God wants me to come to him when I’m overwhelmed and the wine doesn’t care one bit?

It hit me hard. I enjoy a glass of wine sometimes to wind down after a long day. I’d love to say I enjoy it in a bubble bath but let’s be real I try to time it for my baby’s 40 minute sleep cycle before bed. I don’t drink often, I don’t go out for drinks, but I enjoy my wine once in a great while. But, while I think it’s fine for me to indulge in a glass of wine, I don’t think it’s okay to turn to it for comfort. I use my hard days as a gentle reminder that I should sit down with God. My rough days are an invitation to turn to Him for comfort.

Mom life doesn’t need to equal wine life. Being a mom is hard. It’s something I couldn’t do without my faith. My son was recently hospitalized (don’t worry, he’s okay) and the only thing that kept me sane was prayer. We were blessed to have a whole team of prayer warriors looking out for my son. A glass of wine wasn’t going to help him heal, it wasn’t going to keep me sane, and it wasn’t going to provide me with the comfort I needed in that moment while I held my son as he burned with fever.

I am not here to judge how a mom (or anyone else) chooses to deal with stress, but I strongly encourage you to pause before you pour. Your hard day may just be God trying to pull you in closer. Sit at his feet. Pour out your heart. God heals. He comforts. And He listens.