I never knew what a great honor and privilege it was to be a mother—until I had my first child. I never knew what joy it would bring to my heart every time I hear the word mommy (which is more times than I can count each day), until my oldest said it for the first time. I LOVE being mommy. I love waking up each morning and knowing that my days will be filled with (trying) to train my children in the ways of the Father.
Is it all easy? No way! There are days when I feel like I am swimming in the deep end. There are days when I wonder if I will ever get the mommy-thing right. I have days when I fall into bed at night and feel like such a failure as a mother. I have many of those days. But, the joys, oh the joys—they so far outnumber the hard days.
It’s true—I never imagined myself as a mom. I just could not picture how that would look for me. After one child I could not wait to have another, just to get the ‘baby stage’ over and done with so that I could get on with my life. THEN God did something in my heart that only He could do. He changed my perspective and put His heart for children in me.
Now I see things differently, I see children so very differently. I see them as His best gifts, I see them as His reward. I see my days differently—I no longer see them filled with the endless same-old, same-old that comes with having many small children, nope, I am a mommy-on-a-mission—making the most of every day He has given me with these little people.
I wish I could count the number of times I have been told that the time passes so quickly, to make the most of every day that they are little. That’s what I’m doing, making the most of every runny nose, every boo-boo, every insecurity, every sibling argument. I’m learning to live in the moment, and to embrace this season of being mommy. I know that all too soon they will all be big and I will then just be called mom! What a new season what will be.
I’m so thankful this day, thankful that He has chosen to bless me with these. God could have chosen to NOT bless me with children—but He didn’t. There are no words to thank Him enough for the gifts. They truly are His rewards. What did I ever do to deserve five of them? I will never know. I am so humbled and so thankful that He chose this girl and showed her the joy of being mommy.
Her children arise and call her blessed. Prov 31:28
Let the little children come to me. Mark 10:14
How great is the love that the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. 1 John 3:1
Children are a reward from Him. Ps 127:3
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Ps 127:5
Over the last few days I have read many blogs of families who have recently lost children, or whose child is fighting for their life. The pain and suffering of families, just like mine, is everywhere. It is heartbreaking. Life is short, life is fragile.
Friends, let’s hold our children a little tighter today. Let’s embrace this day and this season of being mommy to the blessings He has given us.