Some Encouragement

So I went to church last night to have a "roundtable" discussions with other mothers and specifically one mother at our church who has TEN children. How amazing, right!? It ended up being more of a class, actually a four part class, led by said amazing mother. She gave out these binders full of Scriptures, poems, book excerpts, different charts, etc...a handbook for today's Christian Mom, I think. She spoke more this week on getting to the child's heart, wooing them to you and to God, blessing them (literally saying to them in front of the family just what characteristics of theirs are Godlike and a blessing to the family), tieing strings of love between you and the child (being with them, playing with them, having a relationship with them) and it was all kind of what I've been reading in the book Sheparding The Childs Heart.

I was flipping through the binder here and this poem made me all misty, so I thought it would encourage you other mothers.

Maker of the Home by Beverly Bradley

Little maker of the home, what do you really do?
When all is said and done, what will be said of you?
You rise each day and like the sun you give your life away,
and tired, you've run the course again, you need to hear Him say

Well done, Oh, maker of the home
Well done, you labor not alone
And though your eyes may never see,
this home you live to make, you make for me

Your life a shadow seems, compared to what the others do,
but who would catch the tears, and point to Me, if not for you?

And when they've grown, imprinted on their hearts will always be,
how good, how right, to give their lives, and build a home for Me.

Mrs. Travers, the mom of ten, said that we moms need to have an exit strategy. This isn't a life long sentence, but rather a blessed short term opportunity. We're not meant to stumble through this job, hoping we're doing it right, barely making it to the finish line or giving up along the way. Rather we're to have a God centered plan and an exit stratgey, an end goal. These babies are under our skirts for only a few years and we have a lot of work to do in that time, but what an amazing job! Last night I was convicted that I need to be delving into who my children are and what their hearts need, being with them (not shooing them away), teaching them about God (not hoping the church will do it), acting out Christ's love and forgiveness, being the role model of a Christian and protecting their hearts from outside influences.

I plan to go to the other sessions with this Mom so that my career as a mother will be blessed and more importantly to me now, that my big view of this responsibility will be changed forever. I've been struggling again with not being able to help financially, missing out on my career opportunities, especially now with this economical scare in the air. I'm watching as my friends put money in their savings, go on vacations, make serious headway in paying off their homes and the green-eyed monster peeks around the corner. Gah! And you know what? I am SOOO blessed with a husband who's view has changed 180 degrees. This man honors my place in the home and has told me over and over again how important I am to this family. He recently told me that he'd MUCH rather have me here with the kids during these formative years than to be paying off or have the house paid off. I know he's right...I can feel it too. I really do desire to find my mothering heart and embrace it with all of my being, to forget that old desire of being a career woman. It's something I need to lay at His feet again, and again, and again.

So...here's to another day, Moms and friends! Our job is SO important! Find the joy within this morning and work toward the goal of being a mom whose children call her blessed and whose Maker says "well done, Maker of the home."