1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
We live in a culture that likes to present life through a filter of perfection. Motherhood is photoshopped with the same filter of perfection. Perfection that is pursued but is never attained. Truth be told, the reality of motherhood is far better than the perception. Motherhood is a display of love. The grace-filled love of God. A love that empowers and changes the heart of a child. In 1 Corinthians 13, we can see what love looks like and how love acts. Take a moment and reread the verses at the top of the page. The reality of love in Christ is far more satisfying than the short-lived accolades of “perfection” from the world.
How would you describe your motherhood? Do you sit on the couch of perfection photoshopping out the clean clothes to be folded? Do you daydream about what life would be like if you didn’t have kids? Would you say motherhood is hard and messy and unpredictable? It is all that and so much more. Hard, messy, and unpredictable are descriptive words. They describe experiences, circumstances, your home, or maybe even your emotions. It helps to remember that the perception of experiences is not always reality. The reality of motherhood is far more immense than any of those previous descriptors of being hard, messy, and unpredictable.
For me, the reality of motherhood and how I would describe it would be “a trip around the world”. It’s been a journey of everything new from emotions to unexpected destinations. It’s been a trip with delays and cancellations. Circling, until it's time to land. Bumpy takeoffs and rough landings. I’ve had to share my “space” with strangers and listen to the drone of disappointment. I’ve become a linguistic specialist because no one else could understand my child.
In this journey of loving and learning wrapped in humility, I have made a million mistakes; praying I wouldn’t make one too many. In reality, motherhood has taken my breath away with the depth of love and gratitude I feel every day, juxtaposed with those days of regret from mistakes. It’s been a trip witnessing three little sinners grow into three astonishing adults...from the beginning, I realized this trip was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime journey. I couldn’t have imagined the way my life would be impacted through this journey of motherhood. The experience and the challenge of being a mom have changed me from the inside out.
Motherhood is this exquisite, precious, unique opportunity to raise little humans to know and love the LORD with all their hearts all their lives. Yes, sometimes it is hard and difficult and painful and inconvenient. A big part of the job is personal growth and the ability to see beyond the moment of frustration and into the reality of motherhood -- not something photoshopped. A reality abounding in the love of Christ. You can do this.
Lord, thank you for blessing me with this journey in motherhood. Please help me see the beauty of motherhood through your eyes every day, even in the moments when it is juxtaposed with the hard, messy, and unpredictable. Amen.