Saturday 18 January 2014

Called to Be a Mommy

There are few things that can break the heart of a mother more than her child being sick or hurt. There is just something in us that breaks when they are hurting and I am sure that for the rest of our lives it will be like that. Every broken heart, every cold and flu, every fight with one of their friends or siblings, each will effect us nearly as much as it does our children and for possibly longer.

The other night my heart was squeezed nearly to its breaking point as my daughter looked me in the eyes and told me she wished she had a different mommy.

Hubby and I were putting the kids down for bed in their new shared room. We just made the switch to having them together so that we can be prepared for the babies arrival, we didn't think it would be as smooth of a transition as it has been.  Hubby finished their bedtime story and we all cuddled together to say our prayers. The kids call it their "thanks you prayer", probably because we begin by them saying a number of things that they are thankful for.  

After our prayers I picked up Little A and hugged her tight. She squeezed me back and I said, " Oh, I just love hugging you!" In response she squeezed me again and continued to squeeze while she said, " Hug,Hug, Hug, Stop!" It's a little cuddle game she learned from my mom.

Afterward I pulled back from her and she looked up at me while I said, " did you know that I thank God, everyday, that he chose me to be your mommy?"

"I wish he chose me a different mommy." Was her response.

(I think my heart nearly broke just writing that out)

My pregnancy hormones and lack of sleep totally do not help me much but I was able to choke back the tears that threatened.  All I could say in response was to tell her that saying things like that hurts my feelings and makes me sad. But that I love her no matter what and that God chose me to be her mommy for a special reason and I wouldn't want anyone else. 

I think Hubby had a talk with her after I left the room and he finished tucking them in. But what she said just kept churning in my mind.  

I am sure that there were times as a kid, actually I remember some times, that I wished that God gave me different parents or a different family.  But that family taught me a lot and made me who I am.  There are still times that I cannot believe that we are even related because we all seem impossibly different but they are my family and I wouldn't change that. 


Apparently I am the funny one.   ( Too bad they were laughing AT me not with me)  

Children are a gift from the Lord;
    they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
    are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
    He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

Psalm 127:3-5



Read 1 Samuel 1 for a wonderful story of family and being blessed with a child. 

I really feel like God blessed me with each of my children.  I know that I was a part of creating them while they were inside of me.  I know that he has blessed me with an amazing opportunity to teach them and train them in the ways that they should go.  And that they are a part of the purpose that I was created for. 

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

Psalm 139:13-16 

Direct your children onto the right path,
    and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Proverbs 22:6

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.

Psalm 127:3

and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,  to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
Titus 2:4-5


I believe that there is a biblical calling to motherhood. There are many other callings in our lives that we will walk in, but there is a time and season for everything. 

But throughout everything we walk through there are a some callings that will remain constant. We are called to respect our husbands, which is the best way to show our children how to love their spouse. We are called to train our children and direct them to the right path. And we are called to show them the love of Christ. We are also called to lead them by our example, when we walk out the love of Christ we teach them what his love is like and how they should love others. 

I believe that first and foremost, my job is to be a mother to my children....even when they think I am the worst, when they feel like they hate me, and when they wish they had a different mom.  They are the gifts that God has given me and I will love them more than myself for the rest of my life. 







**Edit**   
 I just listened to this sermon about Honouring the Biblical Call of Motherhood.  Its about 45 minutes long but it was well done and speaks to the heart and touches on some of the same things I talked about. Enjoy 

1 comment:

  1. The interesting things - your names means "grace".
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxPnAOMpbqA
    Being a mom was the greatest ministry opportunity that I was given. I have been blessed every day by the love I have experienced from my daughters in so many ways. Our family may have experienced many different ups and downs, but we knew where we stood on a solid foundation and that made us strong together.

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