“I am leaving my house and will continue my life as an
orphan”, -words written by my 6 year old daughter.
As I tried to make sense of the words written in red
ink by a little girl who is just learning to read & write she angrily
decoded the words on the page.
I sat stunned by the pain my little girl had just
caused. Did I really just hear those words? Did my sweet, loving, kind-hearted
baby girl just cut my heart with a knife by her words?
My son stood over my shoulder shocked too, waiting for
my response.
But how do I respond? Do I express how much she just
hurt me or do I remind myself of the truth that she is just a 6-year-old little
girl who doesn’t completely understand the full effect of her words?
She was mad. I get that. But I can’t respond the same
way she responded by using hurtful words & letting my emotions get the best
of me.
So, I calmly told both kids to get their pajamas on
& get in bed.
I couldn’t believe our first official day of summer
(filled with swimming, laughter & working together) was going to end like
this- all because my daughter was mad because she didn’t get a popsicle when
she refused to eat her dinner.
By the time I tucked her into bed my daughter had begun
to understand the full effects of her words. I hadn’t said a word, I wasn’t
stomping around, I was just quiet – my heart was aching & I was weary. I
just needed some time to nurse my broken spirit.
During bedtime prayers she cried & told me how
sorry she was, and as she cried I comforted her. Because that’s what mommas do,
we comfort our kids & tell them we love them even when they say hurtful
things to us. Because we know they are just little beings that we are charged
with raising.
It is our responsibility to teach them between right
& wrong.
It is our responsibility to teach them the right way to
respond when they are hurt.
It is our responsibility to teach them that when they
make a mistake they can ask for forgiveness & through our forgiveness of
them they may catch a glimpse of God’s forgiveness.
My husband came home just after the kids went to bed
and as he kissed them goodnight my daughter shared everything with her daddy. I
sat quietly in the den nursing my weary soul, trying to speak words of God’s
truth to my heart. Trying desperately to push the words of question & frustration
out of my head…
·
What’s the point in trying hard to plan a fun,
exciting summer for the kids?
·
Does anybody know or really care what I do
around here?
·
Why did I give up my career in nursing to stay
home & take care of the kids?
words I know that are not
true but words I still struggled with.
And then I overheard my husband talking with my
children. He answered each of those questions as he talked with our kids. Did
he have a direct line to my thoughts?
With each answer to those questions God used Jeff’s
words to speak to my weary heart. God reminded me why I stay home to care for
the kids. He reminded me why I clean crumbs off the floor again, pick up a toy
I’ve stepped on with my bare feet again, wash & fold the 10th
load of laundry for the day, & move over at 3:00 in the morning when my
daughter has a bad dream.
I do all these things because
that is what God has called me to do.
·
He has called me to love my children.
·
He has called me to raise them in His Truths.
·
He has called me to stay at home & take care
of things while my husband is at work.
God has called me to a task that will take years to see
the full effects of my work. There will be days of joy & laughter and there
will be days of heartbreak & weariness. But, in all the days I will cling
to God and give my actions & my words to Him & trust Him to help me
raise them in His Ways.
“Commit
to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3
So, are you a weary Mom like me? Today I'm linked with other Moms who are traveling the journey of motherhood. I would love for you to visit Hope for the Weary Mom. 
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