With the holidays fast approaching I can’t help but be extremely grateful for time off - from my “other” job that is. As I sit here in my house where dust bunnies abound, dishes grow by scores and laundry is never finished, I relish the time at home. Time to be the taxi service, time to cook lavish breakfasts and time to stay in my pajamas until Noon (even as the taxi driver - don’t judge - you know you’ve worn pajama pants to the store and tried to pass them off as a new fashion statement!) I also know that going back to work after many days at home will be difficult because my heart is here, at home.
I can’t help but think there are many Mommies who feel the same way. I can’t be the only one. As I look back over the last 14 years since I was gifted to be a Mom I have experienced it all: full-time, part-time, stay-at-home and even single Mom for a year while Kraig worked in another state Monday-Friday. No, I have no idea what it is to be a complete single Mom but that little bit of time makes me have mad respect for single mothers. Regardless of the specifics of each situation, let’s face it, being a Mom is hard work! Being a working Mom is a different kind of hard work.
I know there are some Moms who enjoy working. I also know a whole lot of Moms who don’t. I often think it isn’t because they hate their jobs as much as they hate leaving their children. A working Mom is constantly challenged to perform a precise balancing act between loyalty to her employer and loyalty to her family. Often times we fail and fail miserably. As a result, we despise ourselves or we begin to despise our jobs. It is easy to look at our jobs as the enemy - the thing that takes us away from where we really want to be.
I have struggled with this on and off over the last 14 years. I have spent many days crying and begging the Lord to bring me home. I have lashed out in anger and despair when year after year I have an unfulfilled longing to be home. Eventually, the Lord brought me to the point where I had to make peace with where I was in order to keep from presuming on God’s goodness and abounding in sin. I hope this will speak to you in some way today if you struggle with being a working Mommy.
1) Be grateful for your job. God has ordained work as the means by which He blesses His people. A job well-done brings glory to the Lord and blessing to you. God has provided this job as a means of providing for your family. It is a blessing. It is likely an answer to prayer. Be grateful! (Colossians 3:15-17)
2) Practice contentment. Often times God does not remove us from a situation or difficult circumstance in order to teach us contentment. Removing the obstacle changes things but it doesn’t change us. Contentment is cultivated in the midst of difficult circumstances not apart from them. (Philippians 4:11-13)
3) Remember you are firmly planted. You are working and you are working where you are working on purpose. As long as it is not illegal or immoral, God has ordained your employment. He has firmly planted you specifically among people who need the Light of Christ. But, God is never one-dimensional. He is also using those people in your life to sanctify you. Your employment and your co-workers are not an accident. God has purpose for you right where you are. (Acts 17:25-26)
4) Be where you are. Often times the hardest thing for us as mothers is leaving work at work and home at home. We drive to work with home on our minds and we drive home with work on our minds. But, work isn’t paying you to be Mom. When you are at work, put in an honest and excellent day’s work. This brings honor to the Lord and sheds light on the gospel to those around you. Will that be hard some days? Yes! Will you have family crisis that distract you? Yes! In those times, ask the Lord to help you take care of the task at hand. The Lord is caring for your family even when you aren’t there.
On the other hand, when you aren’t at work, BE at home. What I mean is this: it is easy to come home after a long day and veg out! You walk in from work only to be faced with, “what’s for dinner?” and “Mom, I need this for school tomorrow” etc. The inclination is to turn on the television, pick up the cell phone or open the laptop and retreat. It’s the dichotomy of wanting to be home but when you get home there’s nothing left! Remember, this is the time you’ve likely been waiting for all day so use it wisely. Don’t waste the time you do have. Make the most out of your time at home and be there, not just physically but mentally as well. Your kids will thank you for it! (Ephesians 5:15-16)
5) Work is about fulfilling the 2nd greatest commandment. The second greatest commandment is loving your neighbor as yourself. I am always quick to say that our husbands and children are our closest neighbors but they aren’t our only neighbors. The truth is, everyone is our neighbor! If they live and breath and come in contact with us then they are our neighbor! What better way to love your neighbor then working outside the home! It just gives us more people to love ;) (Matthew 22:35-40)
6) To everything there is a season. I don’t know why you are working. Maybe you want to. Maybe you have to. Maybe you hate it. Maybe you don’t. I do know that life is not static. Life is dynamic and we serve a God that is sovereign over it all! Who knows if tomorrow you may have the opportunity to do something different? Who knows if next year you will still be where you are? The point is, you can always count on the fact that things will eventually change. But for now, as Jesus told Peter, “as for you, you follow me” (John 21:22). (Ecclesiastes 3:1-13)
Ladies, I know that God has called us to a mighty task as Mothers. He has called us to an honorable,excellent, exhausting task as Mothers. We don’t stop being Mom when we start punching the time clock, we shouldn’t stop honoring the Lord either. Scripture says that has called us and equipped us to honor Him in all that we do (Romans 8:28; Hebrews 13:20-21). Over the holidays, enjoy the time with your children. Enjoy the dishes and the laundry and the pajama pants and then enjoy the job that God has given as a good gift to you. Praise Him for His goodness at work and at home. Glorify Him in all He has given you to do! He gives nothing but good gifts!
Merry Christmas!
