Dirty Diapers, Dirty Dishes, and Worship?

This morning came too early with another explosive diaper created by hungry 2 month old who woke up every two hours last night followed shortly thereafter by my 23 month old yelling energetically to get out of bed and begin his day with milk and play! Oh, the joys of being of a mother! Life with little ones is an daily adventure of survival so it seems. Other mothers make it look so easy! Yet in the midst of what can seem so overwhelming... endless diapers, dishes, and laundry (not to mention all the other stuff like school), God gifts us with the blessing of these little ones who remind us of how we should be before Him! I'm also learning that these crazy days with crying and spit up, 3-4 changes of clothing, and not being able to finish my sentences are days also filled with opportunities to worship and serve God that are just as significant as if I were fulfilling dreams and things that I deem "significant." I must confess, there are times when I can allow a little jealousy to creep in towards my husband or other women who are pursuing their goals and doing "real" things that impact others lives and contribute to relieving suffering around the world. Yet, this beautiful, amazing, and very, very difficult thing called motherhood is such a significant thing! It is a ministry. It does bring glory to God. I'm slowly learning that when I'm changing diapers and picking up toys, I am also serving the Lord as I simply love on the two boys He has blessed me with. Even if I don't get hardly anything accomplished in a day except loving on these little ones, I am living out God's purposes for my life and bringing Him delight. I'm learning that intimacy with Him can be found in the midst of crying and feedings as I commit my heart to Him and learn to trust Him more and more as my little boys trust and depend on me.

I want this blog to be a way of sharing the struggles and joys found in the gift of motherhood while also exploring ways that mothers can see themselves and inspire the ones in their care that they are a significant part of living out God's mission on this earth. I want to discover creative ways to teach my boys how their everyday lives are a part of a bigger story and help them engage the world around them with God's transforming love. I hope anyone who stumbles across this blog written by a sleep-deprived, surviving mother will share their ideas and lessons of how their faith intersects with being a mommy, wife, sister, daughter, friend, counselor, nurse, minister, and the list goes on. Below is a rule of life or kind of mission statement for this year that I put in the form of a prayer....This is my heart's cry.....

"To know Christ and to make Him known" - Oh, Abba Father that is my prayer throughout my life - that I may know you intimately and that out of your transforming love I would make you known in living all life as ministry to your glory alone. I submit all my own purposes, plans, hopes, and dreams to You. Work out your whole will in my life at any cost. Create in my a clean heart - a heart continually shaped by your transforming love. I desire to live a cruciform life, to know Christ in his sufferings. Give me your heartbeat for the world - may I seek to bring your peace in the midst of pain and injustice. Teach me how to love and lay down my life for those who are considered the least and lowest. I long to be led by the Spirit in the way that I live out each day - in my home, with my husband and children, and in our community - with all those we come in contact with. I purpose to offer my body daily to you and pray that I may be a living sacrifice. Transform my mind - may my thinking be renewed according to You and Your Word. May I daily seek to eat your Word, be consumed by it, and in You alone may I live it out. Bring to my heart daily those I may lift before in you in prayer - teach me to intercede in my communion with you throughout the day. I choose to take moments throughout my day for silence and solitude of heart before you. I desire to hear your voice and abide in You. Lord, teach me what it means to embody your Son in my home, my daily interactions with the world, and within your Body. Give me wisdom to raise my children in Your ways and disciple them according to Your heart. May I seek to know Christ in my marriage and may you be known to my husband through our covenant of love and commitment to one another. May our marriage reflect You. Oh, Creator may we learn to live in accordance with your purposes for all creation, bring reconciliation into our world for you. Teach us what it mean to live out your Kingdom and reign in our lives, in our marriage, in our parenting, in our finances, in our ministries, in our communities, and in the world. You are King of kings, Lord of lords, the Great I Am - as for me and my house we will serve you alone.

"