Family, Planting Wives »

Sometimes I struggle with being a mom.  I have had to give up so much to take care of these four little children.  I gave up my career as a teacher and coach.  I gave up control of my body when I got pregnant…again and again and again.  Most days I give up eating a peaceful meal at any of the three meal times.  I have given up sleep, food (it gets nibbled right off my plate), money, peace of mind, time to myself, the hopes of ever having an hour to blow dry and straighten my hair without bloodshed, and the list goes on and on.  Sometimes I feel like I have given up my very life for these kids!  My whole entire life!  Who I am, what I want, what I will be, all for these little ones growing in my home.

You know, believe it or not, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I love giving these things up for them (most of the time).  Actually, in giving all these things up for my family, I have found my truest self. There will be other jobs in the future, but the most important one, the one that created my defining moment of self, was motherhood. My highest calling in life is to be a godly wife and mother who will raise up godly men and women for this next generation.  This is my one job that I know is of an eternal nature.  My sole prayer, above all others, is that my kids will love the Lord, their God, with all their heart, soul and strength.  Nothing else really matters if they can do that.  Nothing I have given up even comes close.

Sunday David started a new series called “Prodigal God.”  His talk was about the parable of the prodigal son and what it meant exactly to have been the father of that son.  I have heard that story many times growing up, but I never fully realized that when the son asked for his inheritance, the father gave him his “life.”  It is interesting that Jesus used that word.  In light of scripture it fits perfectly, but because my translation did not translate the word “life,” I never got the full understanding of what the father gave.  That father gave up his land, his livelihood, his reputation, his future, his honor, his LIFE, to allow his son to exercise his freewill.  I imagine the father did it willingly.

I am so grateful God does the same thing for us.  He gives us his LIFE: His only begotten son, so that we might have eternal life through Christ (John 3:16).  He allows us to choose, to have freewill, with the hopes that we too will realize we have it far better with Him, than anywhere we can go on our own.  Thank you Lord, for giving your Life, your Son, for us!