A Shout Out To All The Moms Out There!

Last night I spent a solid 3 1/2 hours in the kitchen. I was cooking, pureeing, and organizing baby food. 4 different kinds to be exact. Which means I had to clean all my food processor parts inbetween each kind of food. I was also unloading the dishwasher, cleaning pots and pans, re-loading the dishwasher, cleaning countertops, cleaning the table, scrubbing the gunk off the high chairs, scrubbing down our Stokke table toppers. I was also putting away groceries and cooking dinner. The kitchen was sparkling when I went to bed, and I got everything done that I wanted to.

Then I come down this morning to get Mylo's milk, start coffee, get Jon's lunch started, feed the kids breakfast, organize baby food made last night, unload dishwasher (yes, again), put away clean dishes that were drying overnight, etc. etc. etc. So I did all that work last night, and there was seemingly just as much to do this morning, when I had just gone to bed the night before accomplishing everything I wanted to.

Its a never ending cycle, no? And that's just my KITCHEN! All that work, and yet there are always more dishes to do, the baby food will quickly diminish and I will soon find myself making more, the high chairs and table toppers will get crusty again almost immediately, someone always needs to eat, and the list goes on. Sometimes I feel like a dog chasing my tail.

BUT...I know that serving my family in this way not only blesses them, it blesses the Lord. (I'll get back to that in a second.) It fills me with great joy knowing that I get to make and feed my kids all their meals. And even though making babyfood is a heck of a lot more work than just buying it, it fills me with pride knowing I am feeding my baby healthy foods that I know EXACTLY what's in it. I know how much my husband appreciates me helping him get out the door in the morning with a hot cup of coffee and his lunch for the day.

And although I have a sense of pride in it all, and my family lets me know they appreciate me, sometimes that's just not enough. Because the cycle never ends, sometimes I need to be reminded that there really is greater purpose in it all. And THAT'S where it becomes important to me to know how the Lord feels about my seemingly endless hours in the kitchen.

When I was pregnant with Mylo, a dear friend gave me an article from Focus on the Family. It helped me set my attitude for the adventure I was about to embark on, and I often go back to this article for encouragement. So while its a little long, I wanted to write it out for you because it'll help give you a fresh wind and a new perspective on the value of the jobs we do as moms.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DOG HAIR & TRASH CANS -finding fulfillment in the thankless task of motherhood. (written by Shannon Popkin)

As I rush to fill three cereal bowls, I hear my tennis shoes sticking to the kitchen floor. Bending down, I see that dog hair is stuck to the spots where apple juice has been spilled. I pour the last of a bottle of cleaner into a bucket of water and open the garage door to dispose of the container, but the trash can is still at the curb. I wheel it in and open the lid. The smell almost knocks me over. Tipping it on edge, I begin washing out the mess with the hose.

Behind me, my 2 year old escapes out the door and begins splashing barefoot in the "ick" oozing down the driveway. I shriek in horror which sends him trotting down the sidewalk. I say goodbye to all my pride and run after him in my half drenched nightgown, tennis shoes and wild hair. As I lug my wailing child back home, I smile sweetly at a group of neighbors waiting for the bus.

Back inside, my oldest son greets me with, "MOM, I need more toilet paper!" I grab a roll and head to the bathroom. When I open the door, I experience the second faint-inducing smell of the day. I see the cause of the TP shortage. He has used half a roll to soak up overflow from the toilet. I run for the plunger and return to find my 2 year old scrubbing the bowl with toothbrushes.

Often 90% of my day as a stay at home mom is spent in this kind of interrupted, reactive frenzy. Though exhausting, my work as Mom can feel very insignificant. This year, as I outlined each of our family member's achievements and activities in our annual Christmas letter, I was frustrated that the only noteworthy thing I could think of to include about myself was that this year I started packing lunches the night before. It's discouraging to come to the end of a day and realize that each of the things I accomplished will need to be completed all over again tomorrow.

I keep looking for an on-ramp to the highway of significance where I can offer something really important with my life. But the road-blocks and detours of sticky floors and plugged toilets burn up all my energy before I ever spot one. At the end of the day, I wonder if these toilsome efforts will ever add up to anything of value.

Like many women, I feel compelled to make a mark in the world. We want to know that our life's work will result in noteworthy accomplishments. The cognizance that we can make something of ourselves, if we choose to , propels us forward.

Little girls are told, "You might be the first woman president! Reach for your dreams!" But what happens when they grow up and become mothers? This sky-is-the-limit perspective can make staying home to raise babies seem rather bland and unsatisfying.

I recently ran into a friend from high school and asked about her life. She sounded apologetic as she said, "I've been so busy with the kids that I haven't been able to pursue a lot. I was thinking I wanted more children, but I've decided my life has been on hold long enough. With my youngest starting preschool, I'm ready to finally do something for me." My friend's telling words revealed her perception of the avenue leading to significance - the one leading away from her home.

So how should a stay at home mom respond to her pent-up aspiration to contribute something great with her life? Should she resign herself to endless stain removal and crumb-sweeping? Does her position allow her to accomplish anything of value?

According to God's standards for achievement, the last shall be first, and being great requires learning to be a servant of all. As the Father sifts our accomplishments, He assigns the most value to serving. This tells me that an office with mahogany furniture and a personal assistant is not the only setting for great accomplishments. In fact, caring for small children in the home provides incredible opportunity for advancement. Sticky messes and smelly garbage cans aren't detours and roadblocks; they are God's highway of significance.

My daily planner may not contain anything that would impress a highly paid executive, but my work has great worth before the Lord. He says that the things I have done for the least of these I have done for Him. Sometimes I try to picture Him sitting on the kitchen stool waiting for a bagel, smiling as I sing a worship song on my knees beside my toddler's bed or sighing with contentment as I zip a cozy sleeper over my infant's fully tummy and squeaky-clean skin.

Pleasing the Lord wouldn't be enhanced by bringing home a paycheck or having a title before my name. I have just as many opportunities to please Him within the four walls of my family room as I would in a corner office. As I wipe a little bottom, I have the same wherewithal to gain the Lord's favor as does a top marketing strategist for Pampers.

Tying little shoes, reading picture books and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches grant me just as much potential to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant" as I would if I performed brain surgery.

The significance of dog hair, trash cans, and toilets is this: They each give me an opportunity to serve my family and pursue a life of great value before the Lord. As I cast off the burden of being ranked among the most accomplished and pursue His approval instead, I see the road that lies before me - and it leads me home.

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Ahhhh....isn't that refreshing to read?? I feel so encouraged every time I read that. Even if I didn't get thank-you's from my husband, or kisses from my sons, I can have confidence that each act of service toward my family pleases the Lord. And that's where my significance comes from, and where I can draw strength and endurance to continue on with the neverending pile of dishes, laundry, diapers, etc.

I also wanted to make sure you have the Bible verses that were mentioned in this article, so you can draw life from the Living Word.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these you did for me." Matthew 25:40

"Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Matthew 25:21

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Matthew 20:16

And I want to leave you with one last thought. This is something else I go back to often to remember what's really important. Above all else, I want to experience the Kingdom of God. I want to see and experience God's glory. In John chapter 2, we can read about when Jesus changes water into wine. Did you know that was the very first miracle Jesus performed on earth? Go ahead and read it. Who were the ones that got to witness his first miracle? Was it the really important people at the wedding like the master of the banquet or the groom? No. It was the servants! It was at that moment where Jesus revealed His glory, and the servants were first to see it.

I often think that those servants probably woke up that morning thinking it was just another day of work. Another day of doing the mundane things of their normal routine. Little did they know that they would be witnessing such an amazing thing of seeing a miracle that day. I be their attitudes would have been slightly different at the beginning of the day if they knew what they were in for! And so how do I know what's in store for me each day? If what I do by serving my family truly pleases the Lord, than I can be hopeful and expectant of his glory in my life! I don't know exactly what that looks like...but I'm going to be expectant!

And with that, I leave you, because I hear my baby through the monitor which means breastfeeding, diaper changing, lunch, more dishes and all those other acts of service which pleases the Lord and gives me favor and significance in His eyes. :)