It’s Aldi’s Grocery Store. I’ve had a crazy week. I’m getting ready to have another one. The grocery cart is half full. Haven is stepping on the groceries. Thank heavens I hadn’t grabbed any bananas. Where’s the Paci? Hope is starting to fuss in her carseat.
“Oh how PRECIOUS.” It’s another set of grandparents beside me. “Treasure these times…they are so precious.”
I smile painfully. “Oh, thank you. Yes, they really are.”
It sounds completely wicked and ungrateful, doesn’t it? But we’ve all been there, whether we admit it or not.
“These precious times”: The ones when you snuggle your sleeping child to your heart and wonder why in the world anybody wouldn’t want to have kids…
...and the times when you think your sanity is getting ready to jump of a cliff.
Those sweet, clean-headed babies, all ready for church…
...and that toddler who just went through the filing cabinet and is rubbing ranch dressing through her hair.
These precious times. These sanctifying times. These HOLY, SACRED TIMES THAT RAISE GIRLS TO WOMEN AND SERVANTS TO KINGDOM ROYALTY. More precious than gold, more meaningful than any other job in this world, something I’d never change or give up…but hard as well.
I love the weeping moments, when I find my heart is so full with the love that’s been poured out over my life, that I can’t help but give it out to the little people who need so much from me. I’m singing and laughing with my children. I exalt in the beauty of this life that God has given.
But there’s a great deal of dying in motherhood, too. A killing of your own selfishness. A losing the “me first” to give life to new life, comfort when you’re own body craves it, love when it’s easier to turn a blind eye. This is Christ in you; The Giver…The Sacrifice.
When my feet hit the floor every morning, there’s a particular attitude that I don't want to keep: Living as a martyr makes home life miserable and displeases God. (He’s not angry if you cry, mind you, but if you go through today never opening the door to let in the sunshine…I’d say that’s ungrateful. Your selfish mourning eats away at your blessing.)
The tough times come frequently, but I think, if we look a little closer - past the dishes and the dust and the to-do list - if we let the light shine in through the crack under the door, then around the opening edge, until it pours out over the grayness…I think we would see that there are more precious times than the devil would like us to see.
Just a hint from one Lady to another: Keep your eyes wide open today. Go ahead and love your life; It’s a gift, not a punishment.
3 comments:
Great post! really Anna you are such an inspiration, If the Lord ever blesses me with children I know I'll be reading you r blog posts over and over again:)
-Rose
P.S. I've been thinking about starting a blog, and was wondering if you had an advice?
thanks
This is beautiful and so true. Most of life is hard but precious. It’s all in our perspective.💕
Hey Rose! That's such a great idea! Definitely send me the link when you're ready!
If I could have known these few things before I started blogging, I would have been a lot better off:
1. Get a super cute layout to start with! You can download some easy ones off of etsy that come with easy-to-follow instructions. You usually have to pay a little bit for a cute design, it it makes your blog look more professionally when everything is well laid out and looking cute!
2. If you have a Facebook or an email group or ANY form of social media, share your posts there every time you post anything. People don't just "show up on blogs", for the most part. You have to post them for people to come check them out.
3. Stick with it! (I haven't been super great about that lately...) but decide what day of the week you're going to post on every week, and always post. People will know to expect something new every time they click on your site, which will keep your traffic higher :)
Like I said, I haven't been real great with blogging of late, but these are some things that have helped me with blogging in the past :)
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