The Sacrifice of Motherhood

I had the most interesting/awkward conversation yesterday.

I met a woman at Women's Bible Study and she asked about my family.

After telling her of our 12 children and homeschooling for 22 years,

she said a few things about how much she respects me, or looks up to me

(or something like that, because her next statement made 
me forget everything else that she had just said).

"You must have sacrificed so much in order to homeschool your children."

Uuummmmm . . .

I didn't know how to respond.

The thing is . . .

I have never really seen my life as a horrible sacrifice.

(and this woman definitely seemed to pity me 
for the sacrifices that I'd had to make).

I have been a MOM for 28 years.

I have been BLESSED with the GIFT of a DOZEN children.

I am HONORED that the LORD would entrust HIS children to me.

I have been overly BLESSED to be able to TEACH my children at HOME.

Seriously?

Sacrifice?

Sacrifice:  an act of giving up something valued for the sake of 

            something else regarded as more important or worthy.

Okay.

I guess it could be called a sacrifice.

When I got married . . . I gave up my "Freedom", my "Independence, my "Career Possibilities".

But . . . the "Love", the "Joy", the "Completeness of being Joined with one another"

was so absolutely and completely worth SO MUCH MORE,

that it certainly didn't seem like much of a sacrifice.

When the Lord BLESSED us with each and every baby . . . 

I gave up more "Freedom", more "Independence", more "Career Possibilities". 

But, again . . . the "Love", the "Joy", the "Gift", the "Relationships" with each child 

were worth SO MUCH MORE than anything

that I might have been giving up.

Yes.

When we said, "Yes" to the Lord's calling to have an extra large family,

we also said "Yes" to giving up a few things:

We gave up any thought of fancy vacations, large savings accounts, "dream" houses, etc ...

But, the Lord has BLESSED us with Cross Country Road Trips,

always "enough" to pay our bills and put food on the table,

a large house to hold our extra large family

(though we did live in 1400 sq. ft. with 7 children).

When I said, "Yes" to the Lord's calling to teach our children at home,

I also said, "Yes" to giving up a few more things:

I gave up "Me Time".  I gave up "Shopping with Friends".  

I gave up weekly "Coffee Dates w/ the Ladies".

I gave up "my" time, "my" energy, "my" needs.

(but the Lord showed me that those aren't really "mine" anyways)

However, the Lord has BLESSED me with "Time w/ My Kids",

"Time to Teach & Train & Disciple each of My Kids".

He has even BLESSED me with the occasional Coffee Dates with Friends,
and Scrapbooking Weekends, and Date Nights with Jim.

The Lord has taken care of "My" needs,

without me having to worry about it.

Seriously.

I have NEVER seen my God Given Roles of Wife and Mother as a sacrifice.

Oh. My. No.

I am BLESSED by the opportunity to LOVE every one of my 12 children.

(no matter the age . . . or the stage . . . or the "issues" . . . I love them)

I am BLESSED by the JOY that my children have brought into my life.

(yes . . . they have also brought pain . . . and heart ache . . . but I choose to focus on the Joy)

I am BLESSED by the "Career" of Motherhood that the Lord chose for me.

(it has certainly not always been easy . . . but God never promised easy)

I am BLESSED to have been given the opportunity to HOMESCHOOL
every one of my kids . . . for the past 21 years.
(yes . . . it took HARD WORK . . . and DEDICATION . . . 
but it is also my CALLING and my PASSION)

I am BLESSED to be Jim's wife.  
I am BLESSED that the Lord chose him to be my husband.

(even through the heartache and the pain and the crises after crises . . . 
I have never stopped loving him)

Sacrifices?

Yes.

But . . . 

the JOY and the LOVE and the LIFE that the LORD has given me

has FAR outweighed any sacrifices that have been necessary.

I hope and pray that you do not see your God-Given Roles as Wife and Mother

as a most unfortunate sacrifice.

I pray that the Lord will FILL your LIFE with JOY and LOVE and PEACE,

with the knowledge that this is exactly where He has called you to be.