Well I usually love mothers day!!
Even more so now that I am a mother.
Not because I now get an extra holiday but
because as I have grown into being a mother I
value the mothers in my life so much more!
I can honestly say that although I don't think for
a second that I had a chance to even sit down on
mothers day I enjoyed it never the less.
I laughed at all the facebook posts about
what mom's really want
- NOT STUFF -
and read the silly post about how much
mom's should get paid for all the work they do.
I also became a little melancholy,
as I began thinking about how for me
these messages although funny
were still missing something.
I started realizing that there were
so many posts that were just satirical,
and essentially still devaluing and
in some cases demeaning the role of a Mother.
I'm not going to now describe a perfect mother or
open up this space to begin any mommy wars,
or intentionally offend.
I believe that in a world where children are definitely
not appreciated, valued, or anticipated by so many people.
Where children rank below career, or amusement, or pride,
or any number of things for so many people.
I feel like I simply need express my feelings about
intentionally being a mom.
By communicating what I have come to understand
about being a mom over the last
almost 5 years and three children.
For ME being a mom is more about a trust, from God.
I have a loving heavenly father who allows me to
slowly and arduously train my soul by allowing me
to interact daily with some of his precious children.
I know that my children were sent to me
because I need them, just as much as they need me.
My children teach me more about
love and joy and peace and prosperity
than I feel like I teach them.
My children have been a gift from God, and my treasures
as they push me to my limits and in their own ways
encourage me to be more than I thought I could be
and give more than I thought I had to give.
For me being a mom is about something more than just
service and love and hard work.
It is about a growing relationship of
faith and trust with my Heavenly Father.
I can fail over and over, He'll give me
another day with my children to do and be better.
I can come to the end of my energy and imagination,
and after a quick prayer and a few deep breaths
I suddenly come upon a simple solution or idea or
I am given enough strength to try just one more time.
Being a mom is about growing in faith and trust
in a Loving Heavenly Father
and in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
My journey is just beginning as I encounter opportunities
for growth as a mom I find more and more that my admiration
for the mothers all around me grows.
I am virtually worn out every single day by the energy exerted
to run a
home with a 4 year old a 2 year old and a six month old.
This is the
hardest job I have ever had and there are days when
I just don't want to
go to work!!!
But this is also the most important job I have ever
had.
That is what I believe is still missing from all the posts
and the satirical lists, the Importance of Mothers and
the importance of their relationship
with a loving Father in Heaven
who watches and protects her every day
giving her the abilities she needs to do her job,
if only she will reach out to him for help.
I do not mean in any way wish to exclude
the importance of fathers in their children's lives.
Obviously the role of a mother is simply
what I am experiencing and growing through personally.
I am fortunate and blessed to have a loving husband who is a
doting father and a caring brother and son.
He sustains me in all my travels through motherhood,
and I am always grateful for his presence in our home.
I want to praise mothers everywhere who work hard and
struggle with their own imperfections.
I know there is a loving Heavenly Father who is anxious
to love and support us in our journeys and
if we reach out to him he will sustain us in all our struggles.
In writing this post I have been thinking about
all the mother figures I have had in my life
and my gratitude for their examples of
love, courage, honor, loyalty, faith, service, and charity.
I hope that as I progress along my journey as a mother
I will have the great opportunity to touch the mothers
around me for good, like they have done for me.
To turn away from concentrating on differences in
parenting, nutrition, education, or culture.
Instead to extend a hand of love and compassion to those who
smile through it all and take the least credit.
