I love being a mother. Maybe y’all have caught on to that before, haha, but I just like to say it sometimes.
It is one thing I rarely take for granted (although we all fail; I’m a sinner too!), because I realize (more than many) how fragile life is, how precious children are, how quickly & frequently they can be snatched away, and what a gift it is to be the steward of an eternal soul. I love the daily aspects, the long term aspects, the eternal aspects. I love the physical interaction, the emotional relationship, the spiritual guiding. I love that my refrigerator is covered in toddler-art masterpieces. I love that there are toys in my home. I love that sippy cups line one of my cupboards. I love that there is a monitor in my bedroom like an ever-present spy on my little boy. I love that we’ve got a carseat in my car. I love that I get to kiss the boo-boos and wipe the tears. I love that I get to change, rinse, wash, and fold diapers over and over. I love that I have a shadow for everything I do. I love getting kisses, giving kisses, and asking for kisses. I love reading books twelve times in a row. I love asking, explaining, commanding, and repeating. I love forgiving. I love learning humility. I love using a single chocolate chip to reinforce a job well done. I love not being my own and not being alone. I love that I get to learn how to wisely train, discipline, and disciple this small immortal.
I love reading about motherhood. Not only practical, how-to type books; but just reading others’ experiences, their joys, their activities, their accomplishments.
I love talking about mothering. Diapers and discipline, toys and tasks, schedules and soul-nurture, playing and preaching, bathtime and busy hands… I love it all.
I love sharing with bereaved mothers. Sharing my heart, my prayers, my time, my tears, my books, my gifts, my words, my ears, my silence, my shoulder, my Savior. I love talking about my six children in heaven, reminding even myself that they are truly alive, truly blessed, truly mine.
This is who I am.
This is who God made me.
This is who God has given to me.
And as a coda, here is a beautiful tribute on a mother’s work. Now please excuse me while I go joyfully put my hands, body, mouth, words, heart (my everything, really) to task at this good, worthwhile, exercising work.
This work that is worship.
This brought me to tears.
It’s so beautiful: Mothering.
It’s what my heart longs for…someday, Lord Willing.
But for now, I am where He wants me to be.
And this reminds me that all the work I do joyfully each day is worship to Him.
I loved this post. Beautiful.
I love motherhood too. I wonder if a day will come when I don’t feel a pain in my heart when a mother makes a comment about how she feels sorry for me, being in the throws of motherhood. Someday these rooms will be so quiet, the walls won’t need fingerprints washed off of them and the weekends won’t be filled with kiddos climbing into our bed. I love these days. I hope I’m cherishing them more than it probably seems. Because I know they’re not long lasting – even though some days it feels like they’ll never end 🙂
Ditto, ditto, ditto!! I loved this post and I LOVE motherhood so much too. And like Stef, I don’t know quite what to say to the moms who make comments to me that sounds like they are sorry that I ‘have my hands full’. Yes, I gladly have my hands full and would want it no other way.
And Melissa, my heart is so happy to see that you are joyful even through the trials God is giving you. ((HUGS))