I have a sacred calling...

This morning I woke up early to the sounds of Luke screaming his lungs out in his crib. Nothing was wrong. He just wanted me to know he was done with being stuck in his crib. Being the wonderful parent I am, I rolled over and endured fifteen more minutes of his serenade so I could attempt "sleeping in" until seven. At which point, I get up and start getting the boys ready for their day- diapers changed, pj's off, clothing on, and now off to get Luke in his high chair for breakfast- on to realize there's a smell following me and it's not wafting from the toaster where Luke's English muffin is crisping. No, Sam just had a blow out all over himself (what a wonderful time to return to cloth diapering, too!... ah, the joys of cleaning that out). Oh, and what's this I see? He's gifted me with his bowel artwork as well. How kind. So, off I go to get him and myself changed. Meanwhile, Sam decides this is a perfect time for a meltdown and Luke is now bored so he throws all his food on the floor. How long must we go over "food goes in your mouth, not the floor"? Oh, right... a year. Eventually, he'll get it I know. All of this and it's not even 7:30.

Days like this are increasingly common in my house and for the immense pleasure being a mommy brings me, some days I need reminders. Reminders that it's not always a bowl of cherries (or mint-thin oreos if I can have my pick!) but that's okay. That the work may seem never-ending and unappreciated, but that there's a purpose behind it. And more important that perhaps my greatest ministry will be to serve God through my children. Recently, I stumbled upon these words from Gary Thomas' Sacred Parenting and they have ministered to my heart, as I hope they do for you other mommas' hearts out there:

Raising children surely serves as a masterful school of spiritual formation. The journey is wonderful and it's exhausting, yet fulfilling from start to finish...

...Mothers and fathers, when you give your tiny infant a bath, you are washing God's baby. Pause a moment in your busy day and look up to heaven. When you minister to that youngster can you imagine God smiling down at you? When you fix that hungry six-year-old a peanut butter sandwich, you are feeding one of God's children. Listen carefully--you may hear God laughing in pleasure. When you hug an adolescent whom others have teased mercilessly at school, you are comforting God's teenager. Are those God's tears dampening your shoulder?

In the process of caring and loving, you bring God great pleasure. At that very moment you become His provision, His comfort, His passion. Learn to swim in that joy, and you will never look at parenting the same way again.

You could have rejected this child. You could have spurned the demands on your time, your resources, and your emotional well being. But instead, you accepted this child, through great pain you gave birth to this child, and with even greater pain you make daily sacrifices to love this child. Your heavenly Father doesn't miss a second of this sacrifice. He sees it all. He cries with you and He laughs with you and He takes great joy in the good work you are doing...

...one thing I know: Being a parent is a sacred calling.

Wow!