I don’t know how many times I have looked at the clock since becoming a mum and have willed those handles to spin a little faster.
There have been many a day when I have wished for nap time to come sooner and for bedtime to be brought forward.
I’ve always contemplated why time feels like it goes forever when stopping and playing with kids on the floor, yet when life is full on with routines of cleaning, school drop off and pick-up and whatever else needs to be done with my kids outside and inside the home, the time flies rapidly and before I know it I’m attending end of year functions and Christmas parties.
The life of a mother is always busy and never-ending. Until that little person flies away because they’ve grown up or is taken before their time.
One of life’s blessings as a mother is having time to kill and yet it’s not often appreciated enough as it’s a pocket of time where we can just gaze in wonder at the beautiful age our children are at.
Lately I’ve been reflecting on the type of mother I had envisioned I’d be and I don’t quite meet my mark.
Every day my choices are sometimes based on the peaceful road, rather than the rocky road of discipline which results in screaming and tantrums.
And yet, there are some proud moments of seeing my girls develop into friendly and loving girls. They want to go to church, school, mother’s group, connect group – because they love connecting with others.
They love to learn. They love to help – sometimes. They never shy away from telling me they love me and think I’m the best mum in the world.
They forgive me when I’ve asked for forgiveness for yelling at them and losing my patience.
They know when to pat my hand when I’ve cried in frustration from being overwhelmed and being disappointed with myself at not coping.
Their faith and prayers remind me to be optimistic about our future.
There are days where I admittedly will the time away because the burden of being a mum can be too hard, and then there are days where I wish I could travel back and remember
Each of my babies resting their head on my chest; the snuggling moments of breastfeeding and cuddling a sleeping newborn.
There are moments I’d definitely leave behind, but as a mum you have to take the good with the bad.
Time is such a limited resource and it’s often not valued enough until another milestone is reached or we face an unexpected health issue that reminds us we won’t live forever.
As I was contemplating over the Proverbs 31 woman in time for Mother’s Day, I read The Message version and verse 9 resonated with me the most.
‘She senses the worth in her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.’
The verse made me question if I valued the work of being a mother? Do I sense the urgency of time I have each day to mother my children?
Some days I do and some days I don’t. Recently, I’ve been more don’t than do. And some days, it can change by the minute or the hour.
What I do know is that God values the work mothers do to keep their family and household running. And often what God values, is undervalued in society.
We need more than Mother’s Day to appreciate modern mothers in their day-to-day dealings. Yet often life is made harder for a woman as soon as she becomes a mum.
But we will keep celebrating Mother’s Day and handing mums’ gifts of flowers and slippers, even though the best gift is the gift of time and help from her village so she is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
Mums are incredible. The modern day mum is stronger than she thinks. She wastes less time because she fits more into her day than ever before.
And sometimes those moments wishing for the handles to go a little faster on the clock, are a respite to her crazy day. They’re the hands that remind her that she has survived another day, with the possibility of a new day of adventures and challenges.
We’re all Proverbs 31 women, doing what we know best with the time and children we have.
Our value is appreciated more than we know to the little people we call our children.
Happy Mother’s Day and may you get the attention and praise you deserve for doing a great job.
‘A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds. She senses the worth in her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.’
Proverbs 31:1&9 The Message
