Call Me Blessed?

I miss being, “MOM!-ed” The years of “MOM, can you… MOM, look at me… MOM, where is my…” were years of sacrificing of my time and patience, but were years of so much love and investment.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: Proverbs 31:28

Most likely, our kids don’t tell us as often as we like that we are a great Mom. They don’t stand up and cheer when we come into the room, and that would be freaky if they did. I know when my kids have expressed in a card or a note, something about me or something I did that they noticed, I keep that like a little treasure in my prayer journal. It is a delight to have a little snippet of evidence that I have been effective in some way.

I think this verse is less about the kids saying what mom needs to hear and is more about their rising up and living in a way that demonstrates how blessed her mothering was in their lives. I look at my kids and hope that they are living their lives in and for Christ Jesus.

 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?  For you are our glory and joy.1 Thess.2:19

All those years of nurturing, in our case homeschooling, all the devotion and discipleship, have given to me children who know who to run to when life is a mess. They have seen me live this out. I still tell them all about the ways HE shows up and helps me in the most peculiar ways. I see that my life declaring that Jesus is sufficient, has made an impact on theirs.

Recently, one of my kids had some real emotional struggles as they dealt with a time of great transition and all the anxiety over the uncertainty. Even then, I witnessed their faith as they chose to pray when they were hurting. What more could I want? I hope for their happiness, or success, or for their lives to be easy, I just want them to KNOW HIM and walk with HIM.

I think if their “MOM, MOM, MOM”, has turned to “LORD, LORD, LORD”, then they have risen up and called me blessed.

The second part of that verse says, “Her husband also, and he praises her”.  One of the sweetest things God has given me is a husband who praises me. Sometimes it will be about my looks, and I chuckle now that I still recall that time in about 1998 when he said, “You are a major babe”!  Just today, he told me he loves to think to himself… “She is mine.”

He has always supported my artistic pursuits and creative brainstorms and has encouraged me in ministry and even in my years of mothering. Currently, with the big changes of my holding a full-time job, there are days I feel like I really do want someone to stand up and cheer when I come in through the door!  Then there he is… asking me how my day was and supporting me with his faithful love.

I realize that there are many women who are not being loved well or encouraged along. I have shared some of the  beautiful things here, but the truth is that there have been many bumps in the road of 40 years of marriage and raising 4 kids. It ain’t always been pretty! 

I hope that I can encourage struggling women to believe something that has been very vitally important to me in my faith walk… that JESUS SEES ME. There are so many wonderful accounts in the scriptures of God showing so clearly that He saw a person right there in the moment of their despair. I love the in Genesis 16 where Hagar feels seen. “ Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” 

Jesus doesn’t see me in that religious leader way with condemnation, but He loves me with a saving love that says, “She is mine.” Just as I am, warts and all.

It is very cool to me that if I fear the Lord, walk with HIM, I will be praised. That praise does not ever have to come from a person, but God said in Colossians 3 that I am to serve HIM and HE will reward me.

He is my reward. He is sufficient for all I need and I am truly blessed.