It was that morning – you know the kind. The wakening cries from your baby jostle you from a deep slumber. You blink slowly, checking the time—definitely earlier than you were ready for. Taking a few slow breaths, you try to muster enough energy to swing back the covers; the day’s mommy duties have begun.
Thankfully, one of those particular mornings for me was a Sunday, which meant my husband was not working and was sleeping soundly next to me. I decided to take my liberties as a wife and gently tap his shoulder. “Honey, do you mind getting her this time?” He obliged, and back under the covers I went. This momma was tired.
When my daughter came into our world, I felt like my heart exploded. I was so excited to take on the adventure of mommyhood: snuggles, sunny outings, heartfelt teaching moments. You get the picture. This was my gift from God, and I was inspired to be the best. While those things are all still a part of the picture, the things I had not painted in my perfect little masterpiece were the 473 times I would end up sweeping crunchy Cheerios crumbs from the floor or scraping banana goo off the highchair. I had not taken into account how many corrections it would take to curb a behavior, all the dirty socks I’d pick up or laundry loads I’d wash and fold, just to do it all over again the next day. I guess I didn’t realize that sometimes mommyhood would feel so…daily.
Let’s just say I went to church that Sunday morning feeling a little more tired than inspired. But as I sat in my seat listening to the words of our pastor, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me. I could feel a little inspiration being breathed back into my heart. It occurred to me that maybe what I experience as a mom is similar to that of a bricklayer. When he first sees the intricate blueprints of a beautiful building, he sets out to build with excitement. He has been entrusted with a great task. Each measurement, brick positioning, and layer of mortar is meticulously and purposefully accomplished. But then, day after day, as the blinding sun and forceful rains beat down, as each uninteresting brick starts to mirror the next, he loses the inspiration he once felt. He loses sight of the bigger picture.
Is that how it feels for mommas sometimes? Has the monotony of our daily tasks worn us down and blinded us from seeing the bigger picture? Have we lost sight of what we are “building?”
How then do we breathe inspiration back into our hearts?
We need to go back to the Master Builder and ask him to show us the blueprints. He is the one who created and entrusted to us the plan and vision for our families. He knows what he wants to build in each of our children. We are only stewards of his intricate plan. We need his grace for every brick we lay. He can breathe life into even the most menial tasks. Invite him into what you are doing, as small as those tasks may seem.
We also need to be reminded that normal and monotonous does not mean valueless. Every brick is needed. Every spread of mortar, important. Every time we care for our children, direct behavior, whisper a prayer, give a hug, sweep the mess, it counts. It is all a part of building something we may not see.
So mommas, when you get weary, don’t lose heart. Remember, you’re doing more than just laying bricks. You are building something beautiful.
Recent Comments