This one's for the moms!

Happy Monday, everyone!

This photo of my baby is a fairly accurate representation of how our Monday was going before we even got out of the house this morning. The baby was very much out of sorts as soon as he finished his bottle upon waking up. If he wasn't being held by me, he was crying. Which is very unlike him. He is rarely fussy or needy. But today he was both and this was not conducive to our morning routine to get out of the house.

The sun was barely up and I already had a toddler that wasn't obeying, the baby spit up all over my bare foot (being a parent is so gross sometimes), there was laundry to dry, a diaper pail to empty and reload with the bag for it, a full kitchen garbage bag to take out, the baby had a nasty dirty diaper and I had a dreaded sink full of dishes to tackle - in addition to getting myself ready for work and the toddler ready to go to daycare. (How can it be that I get up at 5:00 every day and barely make my 7:30 deadline of getting out of the house?)

We are on day twelve of my husband being gone - I haven't even seen him yet this month and we're ten days into the month. So last night, when I looked at the dishes and bottles that were dirty, I didn't have the gumption to deal with it. I was just too tired to hand wash bottles AGAIN. It's a never-ending chore right now. But that meant that I had to wash them this morning so there were enough to get the baby through the day. The baby sat at my feet and cried the whole time I stood at the sink. Nothing could console him except being held. Which makes washing bottles fairly difficult!

As I was washing a bottle for about the 5,000 time in my life, I could feel the frustration rising and my attitude was about to go south pretty dang quick. I didn't WANT to wash another bottle - why does this baby drink so many bottles? I didn't WANT to pack my lunch for the day - why do I have to take leftovers to be heated in a gross microwave in our office break room? I didn't WANT to brush my toddler's hair - what did she get in her hair that was so sticky and impossible to brush? I didn't WANT to deal with a crying baby - what was his deal today? But as the pity party was taking root and I was scrubbing that darn bottle, suddenly this came to mind: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. Colossians 3:23. Attitude check! I know that I know that I know that in everything I do, I should do it as working for the Lord - especially the mundane everyday things that need to be done. Especially the everyday things that get no accolades. Especially the everyday things that can grind down your joy in the moment. Especially the every day work that no one sees. And most days, I FAIL at working with all my heart, as working for the Lord. It's usually all about poor 'ol me.

Moms, we have a lot of those thankless, mundane moments, don't we? And yes, you are doing it for your kids. Because it's what you signed up for, because they can't wipe their own runny noses, because they can't pour themselves a bowl of cereal, because they can't zip their own jacket, because they can't buy themselves shoes for their never-stopping-growing-feet, because they can't do that science project all by themselves, because they can't drive themselves to soccer practice, because they can't put money in their lunch account, because they can't wrap that friend's birthday present, and on and on. For years and years. But all of those things you're doing? You're working for the One who sees. Who knows there are hard days. Who has asked you to be a steward of these kids and knows you're trying so hard. The Lord has given you these joyful, challenging, giggling, hot-mess little ones. And when you serve the children, you're serving the Lord as well. So, feel encouraged. There are a lot of moms who know what you're going through. There's lots of moms who know how you feel in the thankless moments. And if they could give you a high five, or a hug, or a gold star, or whatever you need, those fellow "moms in the trenches" would.

Keep working. With all your heart. Because your kids will never thank you for washing their bottles over and over and over. Or for any of the other millions of chores you will do just to keep them safe, healthy, and alive! But they will thank you for being their mom.

Do the unnoticed things for the Lord. Because He sees. He notices - because you are taking care of His kids. The gifts that He has entrusted to you for a short time. Take heart, momma. You can do it!