Motherly Motivation Needed

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These two are, once again, joined at the hip. We had a beautiful weekend in central Ohio -- warm temperatures, dry and sunny, for the most part. Peach is an outdoor girl -- she'll take outdoors over indoors any day. So, she was outside, tagging after her dad all weekend. This picture was taken Sunday morning while they enjoyed their breakfast beverage on the deck. They were calling to the crows that were in the trees calling back. I love days like that -- when everyone is up and busy; I thnk everyone is happier when they are busy.

Most of my weekend was spent indoors, except for grocery shopping at two stores. I didn't have much spare time this weekend, except for an hour or so that I spent sewing yesterday. I was either cleaning and cooking on Saturday or cooking and doing a little laundry Sunday. I try not to labor on Sundays, but sometimes it's just not avoidable. I always try to determine, though, if it is something that can wait.

I imagine that there are quite a few at-home moms thinking differently about their "career" after Elizabeth posted this piece. I think we need to be inspired occasionally (maybe more than occasionally) to take pride in our daily tasks. Society would not have us be proud to spend our days scrubbing the knees of our children's play pants and kneading their dinner bread. Society would have us believe that someone else should do that work, and we should have a career. It is difficult to feel proud of a job that society tells us is beneath us, that is not a worthwhile vocation. I think I know how garbage men feel.

My mother taught to me to be proud of a neat and clean home, but I know everyone did not grow up that way. Many mothers today had mothers who worked outside the home. Their daughters were never taught to sew on a button or how to starch and iron their husband's shirts. And they certainly weren't taught to take pride in it. How sad for women today. So many women could be home, proudly tending to their children, preparing good meals and lovingly putting clothes in drawers, but society has told us that it's not a worthwhile vocation. We've been taught that a good salary is the answer to all life's problems and that women can't possibly be happy at home taking care of their families. If I had a nickle for every time Oprah said "being a mother is a hard job." Well, every job done well is a hard job.

A couple years ago I read the book Holiness for Housewives, and I realized, for the first time, that God is in the housework. It's so simple to think of Him in the daily tasks required for loving and caring for our families. Just think of our Blessed Mother, who performed the same tasks everyday that we do, taking care of Our Lord. They are tasks worth doing, even when society tells us they aren't.

So, my friends, look for inspiration anywhere you can find it. Sometimes it takes reading a little Martha to get me going, but I'll take whatever motivation I can get. And remember to pray for your own vocation -- there are lots of little people who depend upon it.



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