Today if you saw me in church, you saw me holding a 45 pound six year old on my hip. Yes, I did. She is my princess diva. She’s still small enough to carry & she asks to snuggle. So yes, I hold her at church during worship. I know soon she’ll be too big.

If you knew that nine years ago on Mother’s Day, I sat in the same church wondering if God would ever bless me with a child, then you’d have seen me differently.

“I don’t know if I can take this another year if I don’t get pregnant this year, I thought.”

I started making plans to skip church next Mother’s Day if I didn’t have a baby yet.

…but I didn’t have to! The next year, I was at church…with baby Sam, but nowhere to be seen in service. I was in the bathroom, nursing him! 🙂

Then there were the Mother’s Days in between then and now… The ones spent in complete chaos with two small kids in diapers. I have the best memory of naked babies on my front porch picking me weed flowers on Mother’s Day.

Then we come to this Mother’s Day. My kids are 5,6, and 8. They are so fun and becoming independent. Time is flying by! Today, my eight year old boy I begged God to give me nine years ago, took “orders” for breakfast:

PBandJ crust off (yep for breakfast)

Coco puffs (don’t judge, they are delicious!)

Coffee (yep, that was me)

Bagel with avocado & large bottle of water (for ironman dad)

Sam has been doing this for meals & leaving the sheet on the counter for the cook (me:).

As Sam was taking orders, Sharon was writing a homemade card for me:

I hope she forgives me for this but it’s just so funny I have to share: she copies random stuff when she writes. Check out the message inside:

Do you see the words, “Jane Fonda?” She copied part of a book on my nightstand! This girl cracks me up to no end!

And the 6 year old diva princess was throwing a fit in her room to get out of her morning chore. Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

I didn’t get a day off. And I didn’t want one. Believe me: in Mother’s Days in the past, I wanted a day off. I felt resentful if I didn’t get one if I am being honest.

But now I know, I mean really know: this is going by fast. There are no kids peeing on the walls anymore (yep potty training a boy days). There are no more pacis or diapers. AND I LOVE IT!

But here is the secret, mamas, for every stage of motherhood, penned by Paul in chains, applicable to every circumstance:

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:11-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Contentment is the secret. Joyful in the moment. Even in the chaos. Whining. Messy house. Refocusing our eyes and positioning our hearts on Christ as we do the dirty, unapplauded work of motherhood.

Today the message at church was on Nehemiah. The question that was asked was,

“What are the greatest works God has placed in your life?”

                        Motherhood 

The time between infancy & adulthood is short y’all. Some days it doesn’t feel like it, and believe me, I’m preaching to myself here when I say:

we have got to stay at it. 

Not just at the outward, immediate needs and work, but we have to stay at the feet of Jesus, being his vessels to nurture their hearts.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get distracted from this good work. I want my response when distractions come to be what Nehemiah replied when asked to leave his good work:

I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?” Nehemiah 6:3 NLT 

So how do we stay focused on this good work of motherhood? Reflect, pray, and plan, walking hand in hand with Jesus the whole time.

Download a tool to help Refocus for  the week ahead here: Sunday REFOCUS plan!

Happy Mothers Day moms! Stay at this good work! It is worth it!