I started reading this book “The Mission of Motherhood“. I’m loving how it is causing me to dig deep into God’s Word and see what He’s trying to teach me about being a Godly wife and mother. I’m learning much. God has a lot of work to do in me. I’m so ready to make changes and be a better mother to my three sweet blessings!

I think today there are many that don’t realize the need our kids have for us (Mom’s). Parents don’t realize the importance of stability, and structure. This saddens me. I know there are Mother’s out there that have to go to work. I have a dear friend who had to start cleaning houses and bringing her kids along with her so she could school them while she worked. She had to do this to help bring in a little money so they could buy groceries, since her husband was out of work for over a year. Her husband would help her do this some as he continued the search for the job that God had for him. I know there are many more stories out there like this. But at the same time I think there are far more stories of women desiring to have a career and “do something” in the world (as if having children and raising them isn’t doing as doing “something”). Traditional Motherhood has sort of ceased to be the society approved “norm”. It is sad that more people don’t consider the possibility of being a full time mother at home with her children. I believe that God designed mothers to be the person to create an environment for her children to grow in and prepare them to live in this world in God’s image. He intended it to be a full time job, not just a side job. It’s all about priorities. Once one makes the choice to be the homemaker/ mother, God will allow everything else to fall into place. After all, if he designed mother’s to be at home tending to the children and raising them up then He will help provide creative ways for mothers to bring in a little extra money if needed.

It’s not easy being a single income family (especially in California). I can’t say we are completely debt free! I can’t say we always have tons of extra money laying around. Although, I can be grateful to the God we serve that provides us with enough money to get by and make our payments and in time be debt free. There are little things I can do as a mother to try to make it easier for Brian. I can be on the look out for deals in order to save us money, coupons, meal plan for the month, babysitting and working at the church. All these things help in some way and makes it financially easier for me to stay home with our kids. I’m grateful that we both talked about this before we got married, and how important we both thought it was for me to be home during the years they are growing up in our home! I’m thankful that I love my job as wife to Brian and Mother to Gregory, Adam and Luke.

As I’m studying more about this I’m realizing how selfish I can be. The world’s view is all about “self”. So often in the media we are encouraged to make time for ourselves and look out for our self. However, Jesus paints a very different picture. He wants me to loose my life for HIM. And by loosing my life for Him, I’ll find life. The Joy that we all long for comes ONLY FROM HIM. It is a sacrifice to be a Godly mother. A sacrifice of our self in order to follow God’s original design of motherhood. I’m learning that I have to give it over to God. All my worries, and fears, and trust Him to direct and change me to be the Mother He wants me to be. God wants me to wholeheartedly serve Him through my job as a wife to Brian and mother to my boys. As I strive to meet the needs of my children and husband, serving them in whatever way God wants me to, and pouring out love, I can picture it as serving Christ himself. Its a process of learning to give the BEST love I can. If I’m serving Christ, I want it to be my best!

I think if I can picture serving Christ himself in all that I do, it will make even the tough days easier. I pray that during those tough days I can use opportunities to teach my boys and show them love that Christ would have me show them. I pray that each and every day I can commit to living selflessly in order to show more love to my family and be the kind of mother God would want me to be. Remembering always to do it as unto the Lord.

I have so many more things to write, and more will come as I continue to dig into God’s word about Motherhood. More to come…….. later….