Friday, March 16, 2012

Reflections on Motherhood

Yesterday was my son's birthday. And because Luke is my firstborn, I realized that I have been mothering sons for twenty-two years now. It's been quite a journey! I thought I'd post a few recent observations I've had on motherhood today, particularly motherhood as it relates to being the mother of sons.


Mothering sons means you might find your dining table converted to this if you take even the briefest of naps one afternoon.


As the mother of sons, you might find something like this in your junk drawer. Yes, the world's smallest sharpened pencil! It might make you scratch your head and ask "Why?" The answer is pretty simple. Because they can!


Mothering sons means you have been schooled in LEGOs and received a degree in Star Wars terminology. A mother of sons can look at this photo and spot a Millennium Falcon, AT-AT walker, Death Star and Darth Vader, and can differentiate between an empirial guard and a mere clone trooper. Take that, George Lucas!


A mother of sons will know how absurd it is to see Chewbacca doing a half pipe on a skate board!


A mother of sons will see a train table become a LEGO table, and a LEGO table become an alien-battling military base.


A mother of sons will never have a perfect house, but she will have a fun house.


As my sons grow older, I can see how important a healthy diet is to their daily routine.


A mom knows that video game soldiers require a steady supply of Mountain Dew at the ready.

Yes, mothering sons is quite a caffeinated adventure!

When I recently quit my last dead-end job, I had a heart to heart with God about how to fill my life with purpose. God gently inquired of me "If your entire purpose in this life is to love your husband and raise your sons for me, would that be enough?"

Yes, I can see now that it would be enough.

It may not seem as important as heading up a corporation or becoming a missionary in a third world country. It may not be filled with daily excitement, constant respect, or even monetary achievement. So why do I do it? Because one day, I want to stand before my Father and hear the words "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Well done!"

I'm off to treat my son to a birthday lunch today. And yes, caffeine will be involved! Today, on this beautiful spring day, I feel richly blessed.

Blessings on your weekend, friends!

6 comments:

  1. Wonderful post, and I totally agree. When I look at my son, I know I did something right with my life.

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  2. Lovely post. I've only been mothering for 8 years and can relate to all but the sodas. God blessed me with a boy that thinks sodas are "spicy on the tongue." I hope everyone had fun celebrating the birthday.

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  3. Love this post, Mary...Love it! Brought a tear to my eye to read your words...being a mother is such a privilege. And I agree...as a mom to 4 boys, everyday is an adventure...grand-daughters are proving to be a joy as well! Love you.

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  4. This is a beautiful post Mary. Few remember the honor, joy, and ministry of parenting our children. At Michael and Heather's wedding I heard God whisper in my ear, "Just wait. It gets even better than this." I couldn't imagine how. Then I was blessed with grandchildren, and I knew. Some times when I'm with the little guys, it feels like a deja vu moment. It is like I get to be with Mike as a little boy again, through his sons. It honestly makes me teary-eyed. Enjoy this time. It's so worth it.

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  5. I so enjoyed reading your post. My husband and I just adopted a baby boy (he's two months old now), so I liked seeing what's in store for me in the years to come. The picture of the tiny pencil was my favorite; I've seen those for years as a 4th grade teacher and have always wondered how on earth they are able to write with them...but they do!

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  6. Thanks for the humorous and touching commentary about raising your sons. I have a couple of teenage boys and some days when I'm at the end of my rope, I think "Could this get any harder?" and then I spy my daughter...

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