Taken by surprise

 I’m in the midst of cleaning. My every week, boring, mundane task of cleaning my house only to have it completely in shambles and in need of cleaning again next Wednesday.  It’s kind of like that whole thing of brushing your teeth while eating Oreos? Well it goes something like that.  Anyway, I am feeling completely compelled to stop midstream and write this.  Not finishing up a task is something I really struggle with- I constantly feel that in order to do something well I have to complete another project first.  I’m slowly learning that things don’t go away, the house will still be here to be cleaned…. there will be constant interruptions in my life- and that’s ok.

So back to feeling compelled to write this….God showed me something last night that I truly feel another Mom needs to hear this morning.  I don’t know if it’s you, or a friend or family member, but I pray that God will use these words to encourage you today.  Over the past year or so I’ve had a feeling that I want to do something for myself again.  I have been blessed to be a stay at home mom for over 16 years now.  I’ve had the privilege of being with my 3 girls through many  of their firsts and lasts, their fears and tears, and their best and worst moments. If God called me home today I would be completely content because I know that my family will be joining me in Heaven one day.  Somewhere deep down inside though, there has been a stirring…a yearning to do something more than just be Hayley, Ashley, and Laurens Mom.  God gave me talents and gifts and I feel that it’s time that I start to see what they are.  Kevin and I have been discussing the thought of me going back to work at some point.  In order to do that, I need a resume right? Well, ask a Mom who has been home for 16 years to write that and there is a big ole’ blank that comes to mind.  What on earth would I write? I’ve raised my girls, helped in school, served in church, supported my husband and been the best wife I could be (most of the time).  How exciting is that? Who on earth would hire me if I shared that on paper? Well, I got to work yesterday and wrote a timeline of events.  A basic list of what I have been involved in.  When Kevin came home last night and looked at it he began to help me put it together and started asking me questions about each activity.  Can I tell you how shocked I was when we broke things down and looked at what each one entailed???  Those seemingly unimportant activities…table leading at bible studies, working on conference committees, volunteering, studying to be certified in the health and wellness positions, creating a Health & Wellness Ministry at church-  I was speechless when I finished.  Those activities that felt so unimportant because there was not a paycheck attached to them, suddenly jumped out at me from the paper and said – you ARE qualified! You ARE able to do more that you imagine.  You can help others and share your gifts with them.  You ARE worthy of being hired.

Moms, I pray that this encourages you…the time you are home with your little ones can seem so long and so difficult at times, and though the days are long, the years are short.  As I’m starting out on a new journey in my own life, I am now able to see how God has used each and every situation in my life to prepare me for what He has next.  It would certainly be fantastic if He could shoot me a quick email and let me know what that is, but for now I am just going to trust as I always have that He knows the plans He has for me…plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Take a minute today to ask God to show you how valuable you are to Him and to the world around you.  You may just be surprised at what He says.  Heck, if no one else wants to hire me, I may just hire myself!