Every time I feel like I am in a rut or feel like I've been yelling at my kids all day, I read this short passage from a book called Heart Of My Heart: 365 Reflections on the Magnitude and Meaning of Motherhood by Kristin Armstrong. It helps bring me back to a place where I can see the broad picture of motherhood instead of just the menial tasks I face day in and day out. It does make you realize how hard your job is as a mother. I especially love how she says we are "constantly in the trenches", because that's exactly how I feel most days. Enjoy.
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. Luke 16:10
There is nothing glamorous about mothering. With tasks like diaper changing, laundry folding, grocery shopping, errand running, lunch packing, dish washing, meal planning, homework checking, teacher conferencing, and carpool driving, we are constantly in the trenches. We wipe snotty noses, kiss teary faces, clean dirty hands, and hug away tantrums. We chase bad dreams, mark moments, and make memories. We are the historian, the nurse, the chef, the masseuse, the teacher's aide, and the therapist. Often all in the same day. We endure toddler meltdowns, adolescent angst, and teenage eye rolls. We are often exhausted and unappreciated.
But ladies, God sees us and knows our work. If we ever feel a sense of futility or frustration as we do the tiny tasks that make a home and grow a family, knowing all too well that they will soon be undone or need to be redone, we can find hope in the promise that out God is a God of details. The small things matter to Him. He is not simply entrusting to us the menial task of changing a diaper or filling a lunchbox; He has entrusted to us His most precious possessions. We are raising God's children.
When we can learn to consecrate our daily tasks, making them holy offerings to our Father in heaven, everything changes. We infuse love and meaning into each part of our day. We become more grateful and Spirit-filled. God will recognize the shift in the intention of our hearts, and, perhaps, our family will begin to more deeply feel the love behind the little things.
