Motherhood – Never Easy, Always Worth It

“Mom:” Chauffeur, kisser of “owies”, Bible teacher, housekeeper, meal planner, story teller, comforter, keeper of the peace, emotional regulator, schedule manager, cheerleader, problem solver, event planner, finder of all the lost things, doctor, motivator…

As my children continue to grow, the list of jobs I hold with the title of “Mom” grows alongside of it. What once was just talking to and nursing a squishy baby has now morphed into tough discussions about why another kid was bullying my daughter or navigating a broken teenage heart when a girl isn’t reciprocating interest in my 13 year old son. Some of these matters I can pull from the experiences of my past while others I can lean on the wisdom of those who have come before me. Sometimes, I’m just figuring it out as I go along. To say motherhood has sanctified me in a way that is hard to describe would be an understatement.

Being a mother is the most exhausting, and I mean EXHAUSTING, job I’ve ever held. I have worked my fingers to the bone to grow a reasonably successful sole propriety that I work by myself. I am very proud of that little business that helps sustain and supplement our home financially. However, I have no purpose in that business outside of providing for my family. That job, in itself, provides me zero fulfillment. The only purpose I have that gets me up to work my job is my family. Being a mother is at the heart of everything I do.

I have always said that raising children requires so much patience because in all other aspects of life, you can see fruit quickly. When I plant a garden, I am able to harvest within a few months. However, with kids, it’s a longer process. Oftentimes, it feels as though our kids are going the opposite way when we are working so diligently to have fruit bear itself in our kids’ lives. In my moments of panic at a poor choice of one of my kids, the Lord gently reminds me of His patience with me. The fact that He is still working on ME is a prerequisite expected of me to continue to trust that He is working on my children; and that work includes me and my faithfulness to that task. Motherhood is almost never easy, but is absolutely always worth it.

As the end of the school year inches closer and closer, know we see you, we cherish you, and we love you. Mom, you are the glue that holds it all together, and we pray you are able to enjoy some rest and relaxation this Summer with the sweet babies that adore you.