Soul Sustenance: There's a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse

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I recently ran a giveaway for There's a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse: And Other Ways Motherhood Changes Us. Now I had a chance to review it. I have to admit that it wasn't quite what I expected - I expected a little more humor based on the title. I still enjoyed the book, however, and found it a very uplifting, insightful look at motherhood. To get a better feel for the book, I'm able to share with you an interview with the author, Jessie Clemence.
Your honesty shines through in There’s a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse. Why did you decide to write this book?
Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could write this book. Motherhood has been hard for me, and I wasn’t sure that I had anything to say that would be helpful. But then I realized that perhaps the challenges I face would be the very thing that could help another struggling mom. So I wrote it from an honest perspective and prayed that it would be encouraging.
How has parenthood changed you?
Well, it certainly has knocked me off the high horse I lived on for the first 26 years of my life. I really did think that I could accomplish anything I wanted if I worked hard enough for it. And let me tell you what, there is no amount of work that will convince a newborn to sleep when she doesn’t want to, or convince a toddler to enjoy grocery shopping when he hates every second of it. These sorts of challenges brought me right to God, because I was inadequate without Him!
Being a mother comes along with a lot of sacrifice. What advice do you have for those mothers who want to be selfless?
If we keep our eyes on our wants, our needs, and ourselves, we will only grow more tired and cranky. If we keep our eyes on our kids, we might begin to idolize them, or even resent them. I’ve found that the best approach is to keep my eyes on Jesus every day, as many times a day as I can. When I remember His sacrifices for me, the sacrifices I make for my kids don’t seem so daunting. My perspective is changed and my kids benefit as well!
You have a chapter on being a peaceful and well-balanced mother. What are behaviors of mothers who lack peace? What can a sense of peace do for them?
From what I’ve seen, usually mothers who are overly fearful, aggressive, or overprotective are also the moms who have the least peace in their lives. They are the moms who tend to overreact and then feel like they are just doing what’s best for their kids. Their responses to life can make it hard to be around them! When a mom has a sense of peace, she just rolls with what comes. She deals with life, and the kids, and other people with a sense of reason and calm.
Wanting to be a pretty mother surrounded by pretty things is the topic of a chapter in the book. Why is being pretty important to motherhood?
I think beauty is important to most women, period. Before we have kids, we have all sorts of time and resources to make ourselves and the things around us beautiful. And then the children come. And we don’t have time to take a shower. And there is peanut butter all the way up the staircase walls. And the lawn has gone to pot. But we’re still women who want things to look nice—it can be very frustrating! The chapter on beauty helps a mother put things in the right perspective, which cuts down on the frustration. Hopefully.
We all have priorities, especially Moms, but how do you find balance between personal, family and community needs?
I pray a lot. I didn’t used to; I used to do whatever anyone asked me to do. But then I became so overwhelmed and irritable that I could barely live with myself, and heaven help the poor family who had to live with me. I’ve learned that praying over opportunities makes a world of difference. If something is important to God, then it’s important to me. But I don’t have to be responsible for the world!
Why is being content so important for motherhood—but so hard to achieve sometimes?
We have the children God gave us, and they come with their own strengths and weaknesses. We have to be thankful for them and then train them to be the best they can be. This would be a lot easier if Lulu from next door wasn’t raising three perfect ballerinas, or if Nancy from across town wasn’t raising four geniuses who will probably win Pulitzers. The strengths we see in other families can make us feel like we’re not doing a good job. Choosing to be content with the best our families can be is an ongoing battle.
What is one thing you would like readers to take away after reading the book?
We are not enough by ourselves. God gives us the grace and strength to raise these children so they can one day be strong enough to serve Him! It’s not about us, or our efforts, or even our failures. It’s about seeking God and letting Him work through us!
What is the best verse in the Bible for the Mom that is tired, impatient and messy (which is a lot of Moms on most days)?
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” This verse helps us find our priorities and our strength—we seek God, then God provides!