Sigh… sigh… sigh…  Sometimes I wonder if I am cut out to be a mother… I know, it’s a little late… Sometimes my kids bring me to a place where I think I am not able to handle the title of Mom. The other night, T had a dinner meeting, and I was on my own for about 4 hours with 5 kids. I dealt with fights, a hungry, screaming baby, toilet cleaner in the bath water. Sometimes, in the middle of such chaos, I forget just how blessed we are. Then I read things like this:

My sober friend

Oh, wretched person that I am. How can I even think about complaining? Seriously… My life is beyond blessed. I have five unbelievably wonderful kids. We have a big house that keeps the wind/rain/snow/sun off of them when they want to be still/dry/warm/cool. They each have their own bed (though the boys and older girls do share a room, they sleep in their own beds). They have a big back yard to run and climb and swing in. They do not have to sell themselves for their next meal. They do not beg for money. They do not sleep in a dump.

This is where I realize mothering is not just birthing children and keeping them from killing each other. Mothering is about teaching your children to be grateful for all God has given you, while having compassion on those who are in need. Mothering is about helping your kids understand just because it has been given to you does not mean it was for you. Mothering is about helping your kids see a need and meet it, to not walk away and just feel sorry. Mothering is teaching your kids to feel the pain of others without becoming jaded and hard. Sometimes when you are a mother it’s tough to see past the dirty diapers you are swimming in, and find the real lessons in life.

Mothering is about teaching your kids to trust Jesus to meet their needs and to bless Him by being the hands of Jesus to meet someone else’s needs. This is the circle of life we should be working towards. And this will be our goal, until every child sleeps in their own bed.