“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
For those of you who don’t know me, I am a school teacher. I love my job, but school days are extremely hectic. My husband is also a school teacher and a football coach. He’s at work everyday until 6:00, and then he has a twenty minute drive home. In the meantime, I’ve been having to stay after everyday, and I’ve been at school until 4:30 or 5:00.
I find myself leaving work and rushing the twenty minutes home to pick up all three of our children, run to the store, cook dinner, wash clothes, and try to keep my kids happy. Some afternoons, I dread the chaos at home. I even made the comment yesterday to a coworker, “At least you don’t have to go home and pick up kids, clean up the kitchen, cook, and do laundry.” (And yes, I had to clean my kitchen before I could even cook!)
This morning while reading my devotional, I read about someone who long for the pattering of little feet, and I was convicted. Oh, how I take the little things for granted! I look at the job of motherhood so many times as exhausting and mundane. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children dearly. I would do anything for them, but some days are so hard. I give everything I have at work, and come home and have to give more. And I complain.
How wrong I have been. Today, I have decided to be thankful. I am going to be thankful that I have three stops to make every afternoon, no matter how long it takes me. I am going to be thankful that my children have a million stories to tell me about their day. I am going to be thankful that I have a loving family that I get to cook dinner for every night. I am going to be thankful that I have a wonderful husband and three beautiful children, and I am going to do everything I can to take care of them.
At the end of the day, I am not alone. My husband, who has spent almost eleven hours at work, comes in and helps me. He helps me get dinner plates served and drinks poured. He helps with the laundry. He helps with baths and getting everyone to bed. And he never complains. I pray that I have a more thankful heart like him, and I learn to enjoy the mundane. Even when life is so crazy, God has blessed me tremendously!
Ribbons and Lace 