"In the twilight of our lives, we will be judged on how we have loved."
-St. John of the Cross
I promise, your sacrifice of yourself matters.
The love you take time to give in the busy moments of life—the tender “tuck ins” at night when you are already tired. The cuddles after a skinned knee. The meals made one more day. The books read, the prayers given, the gentle answer to a heart broken child, the corrections to fussing children, the acceptance of a little one who is awkward or too much—does all of this really matter? Am I making a difference?
I promise you that it does. Your sacrifice of love means the world to your people and gives them emotional health, stability in a chaotic world, a sense of security because they know no matter how they fail or mess up, you will always be there to love them, understand their struggles and affirm their great worth to you.
It is still rare in my life that I have more than five minutes to myself! It is truly a phantom to think that any woman can do it all and find a finishing point in meeting the needs of her family. ! I have found in my own life, that if I am attending to the needs of my children, Clay, home, close friends and family, I really have to economize and prioritize my time and the way I invest it.
My life pretty much demands every moment of me!
I do, more and more with each passing day, though, sense how important my role as a mother and godly woman is and I do get such joy out of it. Even now as the mother of grown, adult children. I am still needed. I daily see the results of my many years of striving toward the goal of being a woman after God's own heart and serving those around me for His glory.
Now don't get me wrong, this does not mean that I always feel loving towards these strange people who inhabit my home! Or that I do it perfectly. But because of my love for the Lord, which is more dear to me each year, I keep putting one step in front of the other and see, with the eyes of my heart and mind, the power of my work to fill souls with great thoughts and causes and love for God's kingdom.
Mostly, though, I see more clearly how much I am a living picture of God's reality every day, by exhibiting the fruit of the spirit, by giving cups of cold, refreshing water, by serving and giving of myself and my wisdom and teaching and by always taking the initiative to speak life and joy and wisdom on a daily regular basis—by loving these others with all of my heart.