Motherhood is not for the faint of heart. It is serious business, y'all.
Some days I feel like I get so caught up in the "busyness" of just being a momma. The days when I feel like all I do is change diapers, wipe noses, fix snacks, and "play" it can be easy to overlook my true purpose. Then there are those days that I feel like I could suffocate from the enormous weight of responsibility I feel for the little lives I'm caring for. I feel so unworthy to be the one that gets to teach these babies about life. I struggle with walking the line between doing too much and not doing enough.
When I start to think that the "little things" don't matter, I have to remind myself that those "little things" are what's helping to build character in my girls.
When I remind Libbi for the 1000th time to look at me when I'm speaking to her or when she's speaking to me, I'm teaching her about attentiveness. It's showing her that what others say matters and that what she has to say matters, too.
By asking her to play with the toys she already owns, making sure she takes care of them, and not giving in each and every time she asks for new ones, I'm helping to teach her gratefulness, moderation and contentment. Not only teaching her, but showing her that we are thankful for the things we have, and that the Lord has given us exactly what we need.
When Laney has a "boo-boo" or Daddy is sick, we pray for them. By teaching her to pray for those in need, to take her requests to the Lord, and to earnestly believe that He will answer, she's learning about compassion and faith.
Even the small gestures that may seem trivial can have a greater impact. We bow our heads when we pray at the dinner table. We do not eat during the blessing....why? because we are teaching her about reverence and respect. When we approach the Lord in prayer, we give Him our full attention and eliminate distractions. Does she always bow her head and refrain from eating/talking/silliness while we're praying? No. She's two. :) But, we gently remind her that we're praying and encourage her to respectfully participate.
When I ask Libbi if she hit her sister even though I already know the answer is yes, I'm teaching her that I expect her to be truthful. When she is then asked to apologize for hitting, she's learning about repentance and forgiveness. We're teaching her that when you do something wrong, you are honest about it, confess it, apologize to those you've hurt, and seek forgiveness.
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my role as a mom to my girls and I have felt such a burden to raise them in a way that produces strong character and a foundation of faith. It's not about, "one day they'll be grown...." it's about planting those seeds right now so that when that "one day" becomes today, I'll know that their core is solid. When I think about it that way, I feel not only a huge sense of responsibility, but also a tremendous amount of awe that the Lord would trust me to instill these values in their little lives....especially when I'm still learning about so many of them myself!
The other day, I read a post from Mrs. Shelia called Why Are the Preschool Years Important? and it really resonated with me. (to read the article, click the link in the title or you can click HERE). It was a wonderful reminder of the tremendous influence we can have on our children, especially during the toddler years. I know I have days where I feel like a broken record or that I'm basically talking to myself, but that's when I have to stop, take a deep breath, and remind myself that mothering is not my main goal...revealing Christ to my children is. I have to ask myself daily (sometimes hourly) if what I'm doing for/with them is showing them Christ's love or if it's just to boost my own momma ego. I'm so thankful that many of these lessons that I'm trying my hardest to teach my girls, the Lord is still teaching me. And I'm even more grateful that He has way more patience than I could ever dream of. :)
"And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
