POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE
By Ron McClung
““Being a mom is a job with a capital
J”,” said Linda Weber. “”We work our fingers to the bone,
push our nerves to the edge and use every skill we have to accomplish the
day’s’ demands.””
J”,” said Linda Weber. “”We work our fingers to the bone,
push our nerves to the edge and use every skill we have to accomplish the
day’s’ demands.””
She reflected on the idea that many young women,
contemplating motherhood, can’’t imagine what a mother would do
all day if she had to be at home. How would she spend “all that
time”?
contemplating motherhood, can’’t imagine what a mother would do
all day if she had to be at home. How would she spend “all that
time”?
If she has a baby, she spends a great deal of time,
feeding, changing, bathing, rocking, burping, and hugging the baby. She also
picks up food and debris from the floor. She becomes a comforter, encourager,
counselor, and linguistic expert for two-year-old dialects. She is a listener –
to the husband and the children – about their day, their needs, and their
aspirations.
feeding, changing, bathing, rocking, burping, and hugging the baby. She also
picks up food and debris from the floor. She becomes a comforter, encourager,
counselor, and linguistic expert for two-year-old dialects. She is a listener –
to the husband and the children – about their day, their needs, and their
aspirations.
She is a teacher of everything from how to chew food
to how to drive a car. She is an assistant on school projects, a censor of TV,
movies, and books. She is a reader of thousands of children’s books, a planner
and hostess of children’s’
birthday parties.
to how to drive a car. She is an assistant on school projects, a censor of TV,
movies, and books. She is a reader of thousands of children’s books, a planner
and hostess of children’s’
birthday parties.
And what else does she do? She clips 10 fingernails
and 10 toenails for each young child. She returns library books, chooses,
purchases, and wraps gifts for birthdays, Christmas, Father’’s Day, Mother’’s Day, wedding showers, baby
showers, and anniversaries.
and 10 toenails for each young child. She returns library books, chooses,
purchases, and wraps gifts for birthdays, Christmas, Father’’s Day, Mother’’s Day, wedding showers, baby
showers, and anniversaries.
She attends recitals and school sporting events. She
acts as a room mother, attends school PTA meetings and conferences. She may
chaperon field trips and special events. She delivers forgotten lunches,
forgotten homework, and forgotten athletic gear.
acts as a room mother, attends school PTA meetings and conferences. She may
chaperon field trips and special events. She delivers forgotten lunches,
forgotten homework, and forgotten athletic gear.
When Barbara Bush was first Lady, she made the
following statement to the graduating class of Wellesley College: “At the end of
your life, you’’ll never regret
not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing
one more deal. You will regret times not spent with a husband, a friend, a
child, or a parent.”
following statement to the graduating class of Wellesley College: “At the end of
your life, you’’ll never regret
not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing
one more deal. You will regret times not spent with a husband, a friend, a
child, or a parent.”
It’s all about relationships. That’’s true for all of us, but
especially for mothers.
especially for mothers.
The wise man observed, regarding the woman of noble
character, that “her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and
he praises her.” He went on to recommend that you “honor her for all that her
hands have done” (Proverbs 31:28, 31a NIV).
character, that “her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and
he praises her.” He went on to recommend that you “honor her for all that her
hands have done” (Proverbs 31:28, 31a NIV).
