Of course, I'm doing a lot of thinking about motherhood these days... well, most days for the last 7 years...
And there are some truly God-honoring things already written about motherhood, so I won't try to create my own phenomenal writing when others have gone before me. But a few thoughts...
As I struggle to keep my eyes open, stiffle the "I've got an infant" yawns, and find time to go to the bathroom, moms of teens tell me that the "worst is yet to come." As if this period of life with "littles" shouldn't be stressful or challenging, after all, it's nothing compared to the teen years!
Well, every season is unique. I won't deny that I look forward to going to the bathroom alone whenever I please. But, I also won't deny that there's such a joy to having a baby whose needs I can readily and instantly meet and having young ones who like to snuggle (sometimes). I also physically don't look forward to my nearly 9 year old who can't walk or talk being even bigger and heavier and even more complex in her difficult to understand needs and desires. But I also look forward to the season where discussions can move beyond "listen to me and trust me so that you can learn to listen to God and trust God!" (not that any of us truly move beyond that, in a sense!) and into a deeper realm of doctrinal discussions. The season where we can more readily minister as a family out in the community because the children are not at risk of falling into a pit latrine or picking up a snake if I focus too hard on a conversation with an adult and take my eyes off them for too long.
There are joys in every season and we should not discourage each other with comparisons and woe-filled warnings, but rather challenge each other to making each day a mission.
I do not have children to bring joy to myself. They DO bring joy to me. But they also require me to die to myself daily, hourly, minutely... My primary job, beyond supporting my husband, is to train up these precious ones. If all I do is sit with them and teach them all day, that is a successful day. It's also a day that will certainly challenge my patience, my peace, even my joy. It's a day that is part of my refining process and sanctification! But at the end of the day, with the head throbbing, the back aching, and the patience long spent, I need to remember (and be reminded when I cannot remember on my own) that this is what God has called me to!
The impact that this has had on the missions field has humbled me. I have gotten more comments about my motherhood than my doctor-hood or my administrator-hood. As I live out what I believe being a mother means amongst my friends here in Uganda, a new concept of parenting has entered the awareness of those in our lives. For some who have been watching us, parenthood no longer means procreating and keeping children alive, fed, and in school until they are old enough to go to boarding school. Many of our friends are starting to comment about "training" a child, teaching a child about God, being proactive about parenting rather than reactionary.
I'm not saying that I'm a perfect mother, or anywhere CLOSE to where I want to be in my mothering. But the ministry of Biblical motherhood is reaching farther than being a full-time doctor would as I am able to impact parents who are raising the next generation.
Here are some great blogs that I read today on this topic - much better written than I could write:
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-as-a-mission-field
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-application
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-victory
And there are some truly God-honoring things already written about motherhood, so I won't try to create my own phenomenal writing when others have gone before me. But a few thoughts...
As I struggle to keep my eyes open, stiffle the "I've got an infant" yawns, and find time to go to the bathroom, moms of teens tell me that the "worst is yet to come." As if this period of life with "littles" shouldn't be stressful or challenging, after all, it's nothing compared to the teen years!
Well, every season is unique. I won't deny that I look forward to going to the bathroom alone whenever I please. But, I also won't deny that there's such a joy to having a baby whose needs I can readily and instantly meet and having young ones who like to snuggle (sometimes). I also physically don't look forward to my nearly 9 year old who can't walk or talk being even bigger and heavier and even more complex in her difficult to understand needs and desires. But I also look forward to the season where discussions can move beyond "listen to me and trust me so that you can learn to listen to God and trust God!" (not that any of us truly move beyond that, in a sense!) and into a deeper realm of doctrinal discussions. The season where we can more readily minister as a family out in the community because the children are not at risk of falling into a pit latrine or picking up a snake if I focus too hard on a conversation with an adult and take my eyes off them for too long.
There are joys in every season and we should not discourage each other with comparisons and woe-filled warnings, but rather challenge each other to making each day a mission.
I do not have children to bring joy to myself. They DO bring joy to me. But they also require me to die to myself daily, hourly, minutely... My primary job, beyond supporting my husband, is to train up these precious ones. If all I do is sit with them and teach them all day, that is a successful day. It's also a day that will certainly challenge my patience, my peace, even my joy. It's a day that is part of my refining process and sanctification! But at the end of the day, with the head throbbing, the back aching, and the patience long spent, I need to remember (and be reminded when I cannot remember on my own) that this is what God has called me to!
The impact that this has had on the missions field has humbled me. I have gotten more comments about my motherhood than my doctor-hood or my administrator-hood. As I live out what I believe being a mother means amongst my friends here in Uganda, a new concept of parenting has entered the awareness of those in our lives. For some who have been watching us, parenthood no longer means procreating and keeping children alive, fed, and in school until they are old enough to go to boarding school. Many of our friends are starting to comment about "training" a child, teaching a child about God, being proactive about parenting rather than reactionary.
I'm not saying that I'm a perfect mother, or anywhere CLOSE to where I want to be in my mothering. But the ministry of Biblical motherhood is reaching farther than being a full-time doctor would as I am able to impact parents who are raising the next generation.
Here are some great blogs that I read today on this topic - much better written than I could write:
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-as-a-mission-field
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-application
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-victory
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