This month, Hearts at Home is asking us to “love our ordinary.”
Ordinary.
That’s not always such a pleasant word, especially when we let it land on our own hearts. What if we took a good, hard look at what we consider to be “ordinary” in our lives, and relabeled it? Got a different perspective? Climbed out of the everyday for a moment, and saw a bigger picture?
This is something that I’ve struggled with throughout my life as a mom. The laundry basket that is never, ever empty. The counter that always has dishes. The people that are always hungry. The clock that I swear has stopped moving. And tomorrow will be exactly the same.
When I take a look around and see what other people accomplish in their lives, it’s so easy, and so tempting, to label what I do as ordinary. Really, in the grand scheme of things, does it matter? The laundry, the dishes, the dusting, the grocery lists, the same gentle reminders issued over and over and OVER.
But when I take a look at my kids…they are anything but ordinary to me, and I am anything but ordinary to them. What I do is so special in their eyes. I want to climb out of the everyday-ness of mothering and realize that what I do should be special in my eyes, too. I am the one who plans, buys, and cooks healthy food for them, to feed them. I am the one who makes sure they have clean clothes to wear. I am the one who has taught them to make their beds, clean their rooms (whether or not they do it is a different story), sweep and mop a floor. I am the one who taught them to use a toilet. I am the one who takes them to the doctor when they are sick. I am the one the school calls when something is wrong. My husband and I are the ones who are modeling the love of God, and what it means to be in relationship with Him.
Ordinary. If teaching my children how to be responsible, loving, caring, compassionate, faithful people…if this life is ordinary, then I will take it.
Love your ordinary, mommas. You’re doing a great job. YOU are anything but ordinary.
[subscribe2]