Considering Motherhood

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a great Mother's Day with my kiddos.  We enjoyed some simple home-cooked food, ice cream sundaes and some homemade cards and gifts.  Because of little Anna's feeding issues I didn't make it to church with the family, but enjoyed a quiet time of reflecting on motherhood and a sweet time of worship, aided by a great queue of songs on Pandora.  I was very put off earlier in the week when I heard a radio ad for a mall for Mother's Day with the basic message from a mom that it is "all about me".  I was disgusted by the selfishness and entitlement communicated in that short ad which rings true to our culture's mindset, but then considered how often I fall prey to wanting to be admired, celebrated, affirmed, given gifts, etc.  Truth be told, it is more often than I care to admit.  In reality, mother's day is every day.  Every day to serve and nurture, every day to delight in the blessing of a home filled with children, every day to die to self so I can become more like Christ.  And there are so very many opportunities to die to myself in this journey of motherhood!  I've half-jokingly mentioned to friends what a refining fire raising children is, and that is absolutely true.  Motherhood is changing me and requiring more of me than I ever dreamed possible, but it is such a blessing not only because children are precious but because this process is growing me.  May I press in to this calling, with all its joys and challenges, by His strength in the year ahead.