Thanksgiving on Thursday...

Motherhood has got to be one of the most grueling jobs there are! I haven't had any other job for 17 years, but I wonder if motherhood isn't about the most difficult job there is! (in my humble opinion from where I sit! :-)

Now, mind you, I am not saying at all that I hate motherhood! I fully recognize that God created mothers to be those who bring the next generation into this world and (hopefully with their husband's help) raise them up to be godly assets to the Kingdom of Christ in this world. I fully endorse the sacred calling of motherhood and solemnly take my responsibility in this magnificent task the Lord has placed before me.

However...the reality is that motherhood has brought the selfishness out in me in ways like no other situation ever has in life!

If you are a mother, you know how hard on the flesh it is to be awakened multiple times a night by a crying baby who is fully depending on you to know his/her needs without any words being spoken.

If you are a mother, you know how hard on the flesh it is to have plans for the day (even good plans like sweeping the floor and dusting the hutch) be continually interrupted by a whining, teething tot, a sick 7 year old (oh, and to have to figure out how to care for this one in the midst of it all!), and several who don't feel like getting along with one another and choose this day to have petty arguments that require your 'patient' attention and teaching.

If you are a mother, you know how hard it is on the flesh when night has fallen and you are ready to send your little charges to bed, longing for bed yourself, when someone chooses to have a melt down over problems they are having in their life which require your attentive nurturing.

If you are a mother, you know how hard it is on the flesh when your unconverted children choose to blatantly disobey or please themselves, and you wonder if God really means what He says that 'when they are old they will not depart' from your training in the way they should go.

If you are a mother, you know the exhaustion that comes from just keeping house, all the ironing, washing, cooking, cleaning, caring for husband and children's physical needs let alone all the relationship and training aspects that are part of your job description, leaving you 'panting for rest' some days.

If you are a mother, you know the difficulty of wanting a 'clean' back yard, but need to access the situation of a boy and his anthill experiments that claim more territory around the sandbox than you feel fits with 'clean back yard' status, and be practical about it...for little boys will not be 10 forever.
(and might I add to this, the ever increasing frog population in said backyard as well?!)

If you are a mother, you know the feeling inside of being able to do something quickly and efficiently, but needing to teach young ones how so that they can go out and be properly equipped to bless and help others, and even have homes of their own someday...so you choose relationship and future improvement over present speedy completion of tasks.

If you are a mother, I hope that, like me, you know the joy of whispered "I love you's" and hugs and kisses from little ones who are secure in  your love, even tho you felt a little estranged from them inside at one point that day and  your feelings are trying to catch up, but you chose to love them as Jesus does, which brings peaceful sleep when you lay your head on your pillow at night.

I am blessed to have made happy memories with my children as they have grown from year to year. I am blessed that God woke me up to where I was despising my little ones because I was selfish and unwilling to get wholly involved in the task He gave me in being a mother. I am blessed that He is merciful and restores what is broken when we repent and turn from our wicked ways.

When I was a teenager, and lived in uncomfortable circumstances, I had this parenting thing all figured out. I knew "exactly how to deal with children" to have them magically come out right and all would be rosy and happy.

Well, reality soon hit after I became a mother, and I realized that I had not had a CLUE what motherhood feels like or how hard the devil works to get moms to despise the little ones and to selfishly hold onto their lives instead of laying them down for their families!

I am glad that I also learned that Jesus has power I knew not of when first I became a mother!

 YES, Jesus' way is the best way. BUT there is also an enemy of souls and he is out to wreck homes as often as he can from any angle that he can get his foot inside the door. So daily I must be on my guard to not let him into my life and into my home.

So today, I want to bless the Lord for motherhood (often I wonder whatever He chose me for to do this job!), even though it has been the most difficult job I have ever been given. I bless Him for knowing what is the best way to bring sanctification opportunities to my door (you may not be called to motherhood, but He sure will know how to bring you opportunities to die as well!). I am glad that He has faithfully, lovingly been teaching me how to walk through motherhood, and while I cannot say that I have done things perfectly, I can say that I have a forgiving Father and 3 wonderful, forgiving children.

I'm glad God created motherhood to be a place to nurture children and show them the Way to go in life...

Daily it is my desire to honor the Lord in this task His wisdom  has assigned me.

I am happy to know that when I choose Jesus, my children get to see that and know that He lives.
I want to love Him more.

And I am happy to know that by giving my children a secure, happy childhood where Jesus is presented to them in simplicity and reality everyday, amidst my faults and blunderings at times, I am helping GENERATIONS to know Him and seek Him. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to God for showing me this when my babies were very small. And I am blessed beyond measure that His power is for mothers even today! It as not diminished even a fraction of an ounce since the day He poured it out on mothers in the Upper Room.

I am glad that I can love the children and honor God in loving them.
Please pray that I will be a faithful mother, honestly seeking and following Him in my motherhood.

 

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house;

your children shall be like olive plants round about your table.

 

Psalm 128:3