I'm talking about motherhood today, over at Priscilla's blog. I was inspired by Beth Moore and Priscilla's video conversation yesterday about being a mom, and was so encouraged by what I heard. You know, there are moments in which you just need someone like Beth to tell you "it's going to be OK." Thanks, Beth.
It got me to thinking about all the things we women do that never gets our names up in lights. We never get a parade for cleaning up diarrhea. No one gives us a raise for kissing boo-boos. We don't get trophies for separating the petty arguments or deciding who gets to sit in the front seat this time. We don't get blue ribbons for cutting up food into the exact sized pieces that Junior approves of. No one awards us a prize for building legos with a 3 year old or sipping pretend tea from plastic cups while perched on a tiny chair.
We get a day in May, a box of chocolates and some flowers. Possibly breakfast in bed.
Worth it? Of course it is. But we don't do it for the chocolates and glory. (Although a Hallmark card wouldn't hurt.) We do it because that's who we are.
Moms. Women. Company Girls.
We're givers. We love deeply and completely, even when we'd like to throw in the towel and walk away. We do stuff that would scare a Navy Seal because we are fiercely loyal, even in the face of barf, runny noses and gaping wounds. So what if we have to lock ourselves in the bathroom every now and then, or curl up in the fetal position and rock back and forth until we can get up and fight on? And even if we accidently utter a naughty word under extenuating circumstances, we know it's only because we care so much about these people we've been given to raise.
Today's Small Thing is to give yourself some credit. Pat yourself on the back for doing something like reading a book to someone littler than you, for cutting sandwiches into precise shapes, for being unselfish with your time and patient with dawdlers.
Motherhood is hard. It requires self-sacrifice and tireless effort. If I could throw you a parade and place a tiara on your head and toss confetti, I would do that. You deserve every bit of it.
But alas! I can only give you 50 points for doing something unselfish for someone else.
Not a mom or don't have children at home? Do an unselfish act for anyone you'd like, in the gracious spirit of Company Girlness.
