When I first started blogging, I just wrote about stuff that was going on around me, sites I’d come across in my world-wide-web travels – cool stuff and helpful stuff… in addition, I wrote about what I thought of what was going on in “the church” today and the daily news stuff. And, for the most part, I suppose I still do all that… but with less pics and links (and that’s bcz of the limitations of this “WordPress” format). Anyway… I think For May’s blogs, I’ll just pick a theme to concentrate on… hmm… bling! The month of May… Motherhood!
Motherhood
I recently talked with a young woman who was lamenting her lot in life as sort of the worker-washer-cooker-driver-word repeater-shopper-picker-upper woman. Now, she didn’t call herself that, she just said one unfortunate phrase that lots of other tired worker-washer-cooker-driver-word repeater-shopper-picker-upper women say to their sloppy childish ungrateful children: “I’m not the maid around here.” (To which some innocent, pitiful child once said: “Well, then, who is?!)
It’s been a long time since I said those very regrettable words: “I’m not the maid around here.” And that’s likely when I thought or felt I was merely the family’s worker-washer-cooker-driver-word repeater-shopper-picker-upper woman. That was early on when I actually was the nurser-changer-worker-washer-cooker-driver-word repeater-shopper-picker-upper woman in our family. That was at a time when I didn’t grasp the high calling of motherhood and didn’t value the tremendous gift and opportunity afforded to the blessed nurser-changer-worker-washer-cooker-driver-word repeater-shopper-picker-upper women of the world.So, to that tired (and now visionary) woman I said, Motherhood isn’t something to just get through! And though she felt “put upon” for all that she needed to do, she really wasn’t just a maid. As a play on words, I told her… you’re not THE maid – you’ve GOT IT made: You’re the MOTHER! *Y*O*U* are everything *y*o*u* ever wanted. You get that? *YOU* are everything you ever wanted to be! You are what you were created to be and you are doing what you were created to do!
Now, at this point she said, No. No way. I just want to get through this! I am NOT everything I ever wanted to be. I said, sure you are… You wanted to love and be loved. You wanted to set things up your way. You wanted to drive all over. You wanted to create. You wanted to have things set up and you wanted to tell others how to do things. You wanted to be young… you wanted to talk… you wanted to make a difference, be important, leave your mark—you wanted to be someone! Well, you are someone! You’re a mother!
I went on to tell her one more thing. Be a good one. Be the best nurser-changer-worker-washer-cooker-driver-word repeater-shopper-picker-upper mother you can be. Be today what you hope your children will fondly remember. You only get one season to be the nurser-changer-worker-washer-cooker-driver-word repeater-shopper-picker-upper — and it may seem like a loooong season but whatever you do, whatever you say, whatever it takes: make the season count.
Yes, Marisa I think so, too. The most important job you have is in *your* home – the gift the LORD’s given *you* and your husband is *your* family – and the precious opportunity He’s given you to be a family/mother, to train them up, to love them, to nurture them and to show them the love of the LORD and teach them in His ways. They *are* the hope of the future and they *are* a blessing of the LORD – how amazing is that?!?
I think all of what you shared about the coworkers, is sort of indicative of our societies’ view of family/home/motherhood and is also why the need for genuine love and Titus2 teaching is so imperative. *You* have a wonderful “mission field” right there – along with the mission field of your own home. I pray the LORD will bless you well and guide your steps, thoughts & prayers.
blessings, pamela
Hi Pamela, just wanted to say thanks, I needed that. As you know I have a part-time job & though I work with Christian ladies, some have such a sad attitude about children. One in particular is older & constantly makes comments about how she wouldn’t have children if she could do it over (not that hers turned out so bad) because of the condition of the world. While no one disagrees that this world can be a scary place to raise a family, I find hope in the future generation, when I look at my children and others we know. Thank you for reminding me that the most important job I have is RIGHT HERE AT HOME.