tla entertainment: Motherhood. It's a Calling ? The Imperfect Housewife

Motherhood. It's a calling. Have you picked up the phone?

I was talking with my mom yesterday. And although I've known the above statement to be true, I started to reflect on my life. I can remember being in the 2nd grade and being asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. My answer. Be a teacher. In Junior High and High School my answer didn't change. The question changed. "What are you going to college for?" I had planned on going to college to be a teacher. All the while knowing that that profession really wasn't what I wanted. I wanted my MRS. degree I knew above all else, that I wanted to get married to a wonderful, Godly man (check!), have some babies (check!), stay at home (check!), and live happily ever after (I'm still living so... I'll check this one when I get to heaven!)

By default, if you have children, you have been called to Motherhood. I grew up with my mom being a stay at home mother. She still is and we are all out of the house. I have never known what life was like with my mom going to work. She has been and will always be there for me. When I need to vent, cry, laugh, share great news, share awful news, she's just a phone call (or short drive!) away. I wouldn't trade the time with my mom for money, possessions, a *great* car at 16, college (had I gone...) paid for, or anything else. Not that those things are bad. That is a short list of things that I probably could have gotten had my mom decided to work instead of stay home. Yet, the things I have learned (and am still learning) from her would be missing. Would I still have desired to stay at home with my children had my mom worked outside the home?

We are raising up the next generation. My desire is that by being home with my children, by fulfilling the calling that God has placed on my life, that I can pass onto my children, especially my girls, what my mother passed on to me. I know that there are situations that warrant a mother having to go to work. So please don't misunderstand me here. I'm not trying to bash anyone if they aren't home with their children. I think it makes your profession as 'Mother' that much more important because there are so many other influences around them.

I wonder if someday, when my children are grown with children of their own, if they will look back and say,

"I wish we had more money growing up. I wish I would have had a car at 16, or college paid for. I wish I could have had that super cute pair of shoes, or that really nice winter jacket. I wish we could have eaten out more, or had a maid to clean our house...."

Or, will it be

"I'm so glad that Dad and Mom knew the difference between wants and needs. I'm glad that they did without so that Mom could be home with us. I'm thankful that Dad worked hard every day to provide for the things we truly needed. I'm glad that we got to spend time together as a family. That Mom wasn't ever too busy or too distracted for us. She always had time. I'm glad that Dad made it to almost ALL of my sporting events because he knew it was important to me."

I know, in my own life, I have said the latter. I'm glad I didn't have everything growing up. I had what I needed. Love, affection, attention, hugs, kisses, support, encouragement, discipline, guidance, freedom to become an adult, and the tools to do it.

My mom knew then and knows now that Motherhood is a calling. She knew it was her calling. And I praise God that she passed that vision on to me. I hope and pray that I will pass the vision on to my girls, to my granddaughters, and that they pass IT on, changing the generations to come!

Have you been encouraged here today?

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