I have had several moms contact me in the last few weeks who are genuinely tired, exhausted, and feeling unappreciated. My heart goes out to them, because being a mom is the most exhausting job I have ever had. Being a mom can be a thankless job, but it is also one of best gifts I have ever been given.
I stand right now on the cusp of handing off our daughter in marriage in a few weeks. I know there will be aspects of parenting an adult child which might come up here and there, but for the most part, my job is done with her. It has been a time which has me thinking and reminiscing about how I have parented my kids.
Last weekend, I was doing just that. I used to be a stay at home mom, and I was always looking for an activity to do with my kids during the days. I was talking about what I used to do with the kids during the days to my husband. Pajama days in the summer were always fun. We would make indoor tents out of chairs and blankets, and I would serve lunch under the tent to the kids. We would grab Sonic on the way to the pool when we lived in Texas.
My husband said, “I will never know all you did for our kids.”
One activity that I shared with my husband really stood out. I told him I used to have the kids thread Fruit Loops on twine as a fine motor exercise. I would then tie them into a necklace and head to the grocery store for what we all called big shopping. They would get their necklaces when I put them in the grocery cart. It gave them something to eat and do while we shopped.
After I said this, Carl said, “I never knew you did that. I will never know all you did for our kids.” Wow! Those were some of the best words I have ever heard. They were words of appreciation for all I gave up, the work I did, and the time it took. There are only two people who really knew all that I did, and that was God and me.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23, ESV
Carl did praise me here and there for what I was doing for the kids, but mostly I knew I was doing it out of love for our kids and a love for God. Colossians 3:23 (ESV) says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
God knows and God sees everything that we do. Nothing is lost on Him. We may never get the accolades that we want from this world but in Christ we have all the accolades we need. Call out to Him. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. Oh, and don’t forget to get a nap every once in a while. Naps are awesome!
