He gave us pride in career achievements, baby giggles, Girl Scout cookies, really good coffee, and romantic dates with our spouses to remind us that everything is not in fact meaningless. He gave us those precious gifts to remind us that the toil is not in vain, and that even those moments pale in comparison to what is awaiting us in heaven.
I am not worthy of this call on my own, but because he chose me for the call of motherhood, I am worthy. It is not my own patience, my own shining parental abilities, my own strength, or my own ideas. It is hands down, plain and simple, only the grace of God that enables me to get through each day.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7
Nothing the Lord desires in the world compares to each one of us. And that’s true for every one of us. It’s not only true for those who are always doing right. It’s not only true for those who are good, or who have it all together. It is true all day every day no matter how I act, no matter what I accomplish.
It’s not going to be easy to be present and engage with our kids all the time, but we can certainly try a little bit. I encourage you all to talk about the Lord with your kids at least once a day in these next few weeks. We have very little excuse not to. We have a captive audience, and anything we do or say in these days will be something sown for a later harvest.
“His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).” If I could just get through the night, his mercies would be new when the light broke over the horizon. When I saw that first hint of light, I could breathe a sigh of relief because his mercies were new. Every day he’d give me new strength, new life, new energy, and new love for this tiny unpredictable child in my arms.
