You’ve probably seen the video on fb in which the guy is doing interviews for “The World’s Toughest Job.” The applicant must be willing to stand up most of the day, work endless hours, overtime on holidays with a cheerful disposition for absolutely no pay at all…They all later find out his purpose is to get the interviewee’s to realize the job being interviewed for is that of a mom….
Yep, this job is hard and it is ever changing! Over the past few days, I’ve been reflecting on how my job description has changed. Having 6 children in less than 10 years meant that we had an extended time of reading Goodnight Moon, playing Candy Land and Uno, reading about Noah and rainbows, and Jonah and the big fish, reminding them to say yes ma’am and no sir. But the period we are in now involves polishing Student Council speeches, stressing to them the boundaries our family has for social media, brushing up on my private investigator skills, advising them to do their homework, and that without completing their work or Senior Project, they very possibly won’t move on the next grade or college:)
MY, oh MY, how things have changed:
the condition of their diaper to the condition of their heart
buckling children in carseats to praying that they all remembered to wear their seatbelt as they drive themselves to school each morning.
playing with race cars to shaving with razor blades.
building lego creations to building me a new kitchen table
spending countless hours with each of them as my little kitchen helper one day each week to them preparing a meal for our family
teaching them to read and do math to teaching them to fill out job and college applications and praying that they will represent themselves, their families, and their Lord well in any job or college they may attend
homeschooling and being with them 24/7 to them being in school and me looking for a job
reminding them to share their toys to sharing their gifts, talents, abilities, and time
trying to get them to smile for pictures to teaching me how to screenshot their instagram pictures
comforting them over a broken toy to comforting their broken, shattered hearts.
handmade cards to buying me gifts with money they worked hard for and BOTH impact me in ways they can’t imagine.
He had no idea when he gave me this picture for Mother’s day how I was grieving the loss of my own momma still after 27 years.
That a smile was the last thing that I could work up.
That I’d had an argument with his daddy.
That I was grieving over the passing of the the joys of their childhoods.
That these words would speak LOUDLY to me through three different people in less than 24 hours…”THE BEST IS YET TO COME.”
So today, the day after a HARD day, I move forward , knowing that it will be hard again. I will miss my babies being babies. I will wish that my momma could see them graduate, and get married, just like I wished she would have seen them be born. Hear them call her Nana, and beg to stay at her house instead of coming home because she let them get away with things that I never would have.
Whether Mother’s Day is full of joy for you or a day you desperately want to just stay in bed and pull the covers over your head(like I felt yesterday) Remember this “I will hold you close [Ps.27:10NLT] Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, *I’d never forget you—never.* Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands.” [Isaiah 49:15MSG] (borrowed from Ann Voskamp) You are not forgotten, but amazingly LOVED!
The best is yet to come, meaning it has not happened, it keeps getting better, I have not missed it and neither have you. It is not over!!!! Today may be the day that God helps you see that it is all part of His plan, that all things work together for His good, that His grace covers our imperfections and shortcomings… it is here right now…when that curly haired little boy that always wanted his back scratched to comfort him, hugs me and rests HIS chin on MY head and says he loves me to bring me comfort. When the son who is frugal with his words picks me up and hugs me and tells me he loves me without me saying it first, possibly for the first time since before he could read. When she takes a picture of dandelions and sends it to me because she knows how significant those weeds are to me…
…the list goes on and on. They will still need to be encouraged, believed in, told to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and move on. They will always need my heart to hear their heart. They may need to always be reminded to lift the seat on the toilet and clean their room and brush their teeth because even though the job description has changed, some things never do… and the fact that I am their momma never will.
Alison Lapinsky 