THAT day

It's the topic on many of our minds this week. Mother's Day.

However, I know that there are many ladies out there who are blocking out the holiday coming up. Like, as in, tomorrow.

I know because just 3 years ago I was right there with you. Just three short years ago I dreaded the day that was set aside for celebrating mothers. I didn't even want to think about the fact that multitudes of mothers were being celebrated...and there I was, sitting on the couch reading a book.

I didn't like it. It was probably my least favorite holiday. I remember those feelings like it was yesterday rather than three years ago.

Back then, I didn't know if God would EVER choose to answer my request for children with the answer that I wanted. I didn't think He was even hearing me. How could He be? I'd wanted a large family ever since I was a little girl. He knew that. Why wasn't He loaning us the children that I so desperately wanted?

I told myself that He knew best. I believed that with my whole heart, but the announcment of yet another friend who was going to have a baby would tear another little piece of my heart off.

These days things look a little different at our house. God DID hear my cries and He has blessed us with three little munchkins. There are toys littering the floors right now. All is quiet. Jason took the older two to watch Uncle B move his garage. Jack is snoozing on our bed.

The quiet is nice, but it reminds me of the years of quiet that we used to have around here. While friends were taking yet another baby home from the hospital, we were trying to find things to do to fill up our time. While other young mothers were lamenting the fact that they never seemed to find a minute to themselves, I was lamenting the fact that I had to spend yet another loooonnnnnngggg day at the sewing machine with nary an interruption. The quiet got really old back then.

Now? I go into the bathroom and shut both doors...just to sit on the floor for a little bit without having one or three children piling on top of me. It is only a matter of seconds before at least one child has their fingers wiggling under the door asking loudly, "Hey Mommy! Do you see my fingers?!"

I learned a lot during those years with no children in our home. So much. It was a valuable time, even though I didn't really think so at the time. I learned that there is more to life than my children. There are other things to discuss than the fact that Jack is being potty trained, Addie possibly will need glasses, Will is still being a turkey, and all three of them are just growing up too fast. There is more to life than MY homelife.

While we young moms have little choice but to focus our attention on our children, I believe that it is ever so important to remember those who would love to be in our shoes. Before we start to complain about something that one of our little Johnny's did yet again, think about how it would come across to that one who would love to have children who were climbing to the tip-top of the TV tower. Before we go on and on about Susie's latest achievement, think about how that will come across to the unmarried friend who would be delighted to brag on her daughter.

I certainly don't do as well as I should. I catch myself frequently going on and on about my family and all our issues to folks who want nothing more than to have a family with issues. It's an ongoing process.

Some days I miss those quiet days of old. Some days I wonder if being a mommy is all that it's cracked up to be.

But then. I remember. And I know that while, yes, some days seem to be no fun at all, I am immensely blessed.

And, while yes, Mother's Day is tomorrow, that doesn't mean that I will be set carefully on a tall chair while my children gather around and call me blessed. In fact, I know for a fact that won't happen. Rather, we'll get up in the morning, I'll fix them all breakfast. They'll ready themselves for church, I'll go around tucking in shirts, tying shoes, and combing hair. We'll race out the door and buckle into the car....and I'll look at Jason and say, "Do I look like I got myself ready to go? I certainly don't feel like it." He'll grin and assure me as he does every Sunday morning, "You look great." I'll believe him because by then it's too late to run back into the house to check for myself.

And. One more thing that I learned when we didn't have children. Actually I learned it after we'd already had our children for a while. Okay, I learned it while we didn't have children, but not really, cause I didn't do it.

To those who don't have children who have been loaned to you, children who live with you from day to day. Go. Visit that young mom who has five children five and under and is pregnant with another baby. Take your nieces and nephews for a day. Spoil them all rotten and then take them home to their mommy. :) Okay, not really.

But seriously. Invest some time in children's lives. I have a couple friends who are not married and guess who my children love the most?! They don't talk about my friends who have children of their own. They talk about my friends who have no children, the ones who will get down on the floor and push tractors. The ones who will push them on the swing for an hour if that's what they desire. The ones who have chosen to step out and become a blessing in children's lives.

And to them? I say "Happy Mother's Day". They truly have more children that they are discipling than I could ever hope to.

Happy Mother's Day to you all! Let's live this coming year for the Lord and truly become the mother's that God wants us to be.