In the 14 years since I’ve been eligible for jury duty, I’ve been called up exactly twice. I was excused from it the first time, because I’d moved away out of the state just a few months earlier. The second time? It’s this week. And I’m kind of nervous. Because:

So basically I’m not a big fan of New Experiences. Please soothe my worried mind. Have you had jury duty before? Was it harrowing or just boring? Will you call me Thursday morning and make sure I’m up on time? And most importantly, what should I wear?

Update
So guess what! I called this evening and discovered that my “group” had been excused from jury duty. Maybe I’ll wear business casual tomorrow anyway.

The kids and I have joined Rockford on a business trip and are likely galavanting about somewhere right now. In the meantime, my friend Cintia has written a guest post for me. Give her some comment love! Thanks Cintia!

-Nichole

Motherhood rearranged my life. I even wondered what happened to my brain! I used to work 40 hours per week, and now I was on call 24/7 as a mom. I was no longer hailed for the great things I did. My newborn was not saying, “Mom, you changed the mess out of my diaper. You should receive a promotion.” Neither did he say, “You handled my stomach bug so well you even caught it for half a day! I think you should get the day off, Mommy.” With the change of environment, there was a change of intellectual stimuli. I kept expecting to have the same encouragement I received in graduate school and at work. Encouragement was there but in a different way. Sure, no one is giving out awards for mopping. The reward I will get is the boosting impact I make in my children’s lives, day after day.

The Bible teaches us that children are heritage from the Lord, they are a reward (Psalm 127:3). When my efforts to get a good GPA and earn a great position in a company are gone, my seed will still be in this earth. The legacy I establish for for my children needs to be my goal. It is also very important to be happy in the now and not feel like you’ve been put on the shelf for a few years. Here are some tips to that end:

Work the other Part of your Brain
Take a class you’ve always wanted to take. Carve opportunities for yourself, such as starting a business. Your brain will thank you for using all its potential. Plus, you will be setting a great example for your children.

Take Care of your Health
A healthy mom can take great care of her children, so take your vitamins or a walk but remember that you can’t give what you don’t have.

Surround Yourself with Positive People
Positivity is contagious. You need that when you doubt that what you are doing is making a difference. Turn down your critics and turn up the volume on the people who love you and who are encouragers.

Pray
Prayer is like water to the soul. You can ask, receive, interceed and simply “be” in prayer. God is just a prayer away, and He loves you.

I want to assure you your brain is not gone. By being a mom, you have amazingly boosted its power.

Cintia Listenbee is a journalist who blogs at www.simplycintia.com. Her new eBook is called “Tweeting with God.”