My best “work”

What to say about Mother’s day. The day after ..

I don’t think that we crave recognition as much as we want to see what we’ve planted, what we’ve done, to grow. We are delighted when they say thank you, not because we need it, but because in hearing it we know that we have done a small part of our job. To teach them to notice. When they shower us with hugs or presents, the presents are not our delight. (Well. Maybe the hugs are.) But not even as much as the thoughts that they had to think in order to get to the place to give them. The way they wanted to honor us, to see at least some of what we’ve done. To appreciate it.

I think more than ever, that the whole of what I’ve done will, and probably should, remain unnoticed. My son said I’m good at praying. My daughter said I’m good at being a mom. And most of all, those two answers both hit the nail on the head of my heartbeat and make wants me to get better at both of them. I see they are the most important. Even though I’m “good”, I want to excel. And I can’t do that on my own.

I know that the best of my work will be done there, in the secret place of my heart, and in prayer. Bringing myself before the Lord. And bringing my family and kids there before the Lord, too.

My best “work” is not going to be what is done in the kitchen, or the bedroom or the living room or laundry room. But in the prayer room, wherever that happens to be. It won’t be in how I dress them or bathe them, how I feed them or care for them just in their bodies. But in how clothe them in honor, how I Love them with prayer and how I can shower them with mercy- all His gifts- again and again. They might fill my mind with things to worry about or my house with things that clutter, but I can use this unique opportunity to fill their hearts up with Love. His endless Love. The same Love that I need constantly, too.

Even as I’m folding some laundry or cleaning up the dishes or watching a game of soccer. Finding God there, and asking for help. Asking for His help and guidance, asking for His hand to be upon us all.

My best “work” will not be what I have done or will continue to do that takes care of or addresses any of their physical needs or even the emotional ones by myself. My very best work will be when I connect with God on their behalf, and bring to them whatever bread He’s given to me, too. To help them notice and see Him, too. Him, most.

When I bring their whole -little or big- beings before His throne, and I mention their names in breathless wonder and prayer. When I hold their tender bodies. They’re priceless souls. Their complex hearts, their unfolding dreams before Him. When I carry them, in my body or my heart. When I bring them before the Lord, and like Mary with her alabaster jar, and I pour them out before the Lord, I am doing the best job that I can.

They are not mine. They were and are, His, first. It’s my greatest honor and joy to bring them back to Him and partner with Him in how I parent them. He is the Lord. I am their parent. We are both His children.

I cannot do it well without Him.

It is one of my deepest, truest life missions, not only to care for them, but to carry them, always before the Lord. The One who knew them first, who knows them best, who loves them most. It’s hard to imagine sometimes, but I also know that it’s true. When I run out of patience, He doesn’t. When I run out of Hope, He doesn’t. His stretches longer and higher an deeper and wider. His love is endless and spotless and priceless. It beats ours, every time, and with the way that we love our kids, that’s saying a lot.

He lays out a table, stretches out a blanket of Love, and He wraps us all in it.
No matter what, we will never-all!- run out of it. Not out of His Love. When my heart or my flesh fail, He doesn’t.

So, it is my honor, my duty, to bring myself, and to carry them with me too, back to His feet. Again and again.

I will find myself there and I find them too. I find all of us, as we’re meant to be. Held in His arms, forever.

Forever and just as we can be, Today.

I guess the thanks I love to hear from them, the closeness, is what God longs for, from all of us too. And so I can give that, I can do, my best “work” by giving it all back to Him, too. He knows just how to Love us all best, too.