Mother's Day

Mother's Day was yesterday. If you didn't know that you missed it. And you should probably call your Mom pronto. Mothers deserve to be celebrated. As I told my mom I never realized how much work a family was until we had our own. I'm so thankful for my mom and mother-in-law! They are both great mothers and great grandmothers! I should word that differently. They aren't great-grandmothers. Obviously they aren't old enough for that. They are fantastic grandmothers. That better? 

I was thinking yesterday about what a solemn responsibility raising children is. God made these children for a specific purpose and then He asked me to help Him train them into people He can use. That, my friends, is a job that deserves prayerful consideration and purposeful time. These are God's children. What a sacred trust is handed to mothers with a baby.  

This recognition of Who my children belong to begs me to reconsider my mothering. Would I talk that way to God's child? (Or even a friend's child?) Is it not worthwhile to find the time to teach, train, and spend time with these children who are loved and valued by God? Is God pleased with my partnership in this work of their lives? Am I modeling God's behavior toward me in my behavior toward my children? 

One of my favorite quotes for this year states: "What I am aiming to be I am becoming today." Today is a step toward that goal. Today is a chance to improve. How is my mothering today impacting who my children will become? How is my mothering today forming memories for our children? How is my mothering today changing the person I am becoming? 

Motherhood isn't just dishes and laundry, diapers and boo-boos. Motherhood is soul-forming. Motherhood is dying to self. Motherhood is partnering with God to create vessels He can use. Motherhood is becoming an example my children can follow. I can't just throw together some crazy plan with my children and hope it turns out okay.  Motherhood deserves prayer; motherhood deserves my hunger to learn more from the Bible and experienced Christians. Motherhood deserves my best. There are some jobs that I feel confident in my ability to perform but mothering isn't one of them. I know that I need Jesus every hour of every day. I need Jesus working in my heart and the hearts of my children. 

My children don't need a perfect mother because they will never be perfect.  My children need a godly mother so they have a pattern to follow.  My heart's desire is to be a mom that will impact my children's lives for eternity so that one day they will "arise up, and call [me] blessed." (Pro. 31:28)