I am so happy to be collaborating with Theresa at
Red Oak Lane and the other moms who are going to be contributing to this series! I am honored to be in such good company and am glad that I can share in the opportunity to brighten the lives of moms and encourage them in even the smallest way. :-)
Motherhood is truly the toughest, most under-appreciated and rewarding "job." I truly believe it is a precious vocation, one that God valued so much as to give His own Son a Mother. It is also under attack, belittled and demeaned and that troubles me greatly.
But, we are not going to think about that today. We are going to marvel that we have been so blessed to be able to share in the life of Christ, the family life; the majority of His time here on Earth was spent in a family, working, praying and learning. Isn't that just too amazing sometimes to ponder?
That also gives us great responsibility: to do our best to live up to the example of the Holy Family in their humility, love and faith.
“A true mother is one of the holiest secrets of home happiness. God sends many beautiful things to this world, many noble gifts; but no blessing is richer than that which He bestows in a mother who has learned love’s lessons well, and has realized something of the meaning of her sacred calling.” ~ J.R. Miller in Secrets of Happy Home Life
“We would like to pay homage to all brave mothers who dedicate themselves to their own family without reserve, who suffer in giving birth to their children and who are ready to make any effort, to face any sacrifice, in order to pass on to them the best of themselves ... How hard they have to fight against difficulties and dangers! How frequently they are called to face genuine ‘wolves’ determined to snatch and scatter the flock! And these heroic mothers do not always find support in their surroundings. On the contrary, the cultural models frequently promoted and broadcast by the media do not encourage motherhood. In the name of progress and modernity, the values of fidelity, chastity, sacrifice, in which a host of Christian wives and mothers have distinguished and continue to distinguish themselves, are presented as obsolete. As a result, a woman who is determined to be consistent with her principles often feels deeply alone, alone in her love which she cannot betray, and to which she must remain faithful. Her guiding principle is Christ, who has revealed the love which the Father bestows on us. A woman who believes in Christ finds a powerful support precisely in this love that bears everything. It is a love that enables her to believe that all she does for a child conceived, born, adolescent or adult, she does at the same time for a child of God. As Saint John states: ‘We are called children of God, and that is what we are’ (1 John 3:1).”--Pope John Paul II
I found this poem last year. There is no listed author, but I think it speaks volumes to those of who are moms. It is a good reminder for me to print it out and put it somewhere where I can definitely see it everyday:
LOVE
If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love—I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love—my children learn of cleanliness, not godliness.
Love leaves the dust in search of a child’s laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love is present through trials.
Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive.
As a mother there is much I must teach my child,
but the greatest of all is…LOVE.
Trying to do it all, many can get discouraged. I think the poem above says it all. If there are dishes to be done or dust on the windowsill, but your child has asked you to play a game, don't feel guilty about playing. Or, if the opportunity presents itself where you can go into the tub or climb into bed with a good book and leave the wash till the next day, by all means, do it! These things do not make us bad wives or mothers, they make us human. And it is through our humanity that God shares a special and precious bond with us. He knows the struggles. He lived them. He knew frustration, anger, pain. But, He also was the perfect example of joy, love, kindness and forgiveness. And He loved His Mother beyond words. ;-)
Be sure to visit Lisa @ an
Army Chap's Wife tomorrow for the next segment in the series! :-)
