Celebrate The Mommy Season!
by Wendy Wiebe
Once upon a time there was a woman who was unhappy four times a year - winter, spring, summer and autumn. When the ground glistened with new fallen snow she yearned for summer sun. When the lilacs spilled forth their beautiful scent she longed for the crunch of fall leaves. When summer brought forth the laughing songs of children she longed for the frozen silence of winter, and when the fall yielded forth its golden pumpkins she dreamed of refreshing spring rains. This miserable woman claimed to enjoy all four seasons yet because of her constant pining she failed to enjoy a single one. (author unknown)
I was startled to recognize myself in this woman. There are many seasons in our lives. How well do I remember my empty aching arms when we battled infertility! Like Hannah in the Bible, I would weep and beg for a baby. Then the miracle happened! After several months of complaining about the discomforts of pregnancy - the long awaited blessing arrived - complete with colic! Although I dearly loved my daughter, I soon found myself longing for the old days when sleep and meals were not interrupted by volume ten screams. When the second baby came I suffered some degree of depression at being further tied down. I longed for free time to sleep, read, write, and go to the bathroom!
Here I was in the vibrant season of motherhood and instead of reveling in it, I was foolishly dreaming of other seasons. Of course I loved my girls but I struggled with feelings of lonelines, isolation, and confinement. The Lord spoke to me one day as I cleaned off yet another sticky fingerprint, that one day, all too soon, there will not be any more chubby fingerprints to clean, or tiny socks to fold. My babies will be up and gone and I'll be longing for soft downy heads to snuggle. The Lord made me realize I needed to be content in whatever season I am.
"... Godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6)
God has placed me in the Mommy season right now. It is the will of God for mothers to love their children and to be keepers of the home (Titus 2:4-5), and He expects me to do it with all my heart (Col. 3:23-24). So I choose to enjoy the things I do with my children - reading stories, playing dolls, baking cookies, raking leaves, and going to the playground. I choose to ignore the finger prints on the coffee table - at least between cleanings anyways! I don't want to become that miserable woman who was constantly unhappy. I choose to enjoy the season I am in RIGHT NOW! Like Paul wrote to the Philippians, I want to be able to say "...I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Phil 4:1)
|
