When a Mother Feels Rewarded

So maybe you haven't made the Guinness Book of World Records for the greatest mother in the world.

Or any Hall of Fame for "Best Mom Ever."

Or status as "Mom of Highest Excelling Home School Bumpkins."

Or even honorable mention in some local newspaper under the title "Community Mom Receives Honorable Mention Award."

You're just this little, unknown nobody out on the prairie or back in the woods or huddled in the middle of the big city.

But when you look at your kids, and they are happy just sleeping out on the deck under the stars,

and you are happy to snuggle in with them for a while...

you start counting your blessings. 

Maybe you are just a nobody, 

but it's a noble aspiration to raise contented and caring kids,

even if they're just your own.

You've chosen to be a mom who puts her family ahead of a job,

and her kids ahead of a career.

And that has meant staying home and living on one income no matter how small through the years. 

It has meant finding work for your kids in the country even though it means you have to give up having a nicely manicured yard and property because chickens and goats and steers and cats and dogs and kids are all over the place. 

And you spend time every other day picking up behind puppies that manage to find all sorts of trash to tear to bits in the front yard.

But when you and your husband have to get into your 18-yr-old son's truck to go somewhere,

and the radio turns on with the engine--

and you hear acappella singing of sacred hymns by an old fashioned men's quartet,

you sit there with your heart welling up with thankfulness.

How did he find that station? 

We didn't even know it existed.

That's a moment when you feel so rewarded.

The station could have been set to rock, or jazz, or even classical or to some talk show.

But in moments like those, you know your efforts and sacrifices have been worth it.

And when you go to the bookshelf to look for something, and start noticing the titles of some of the books your teenage girls and boys have picked out last time at the library,

your heart wells with joy again.

The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook

Colorado Place Names

Elk Hunting Q & A

Biographies like Benedict Arnold

Mr. Revere and I

You breathe your blessings into your husband's ear, and he murmurs back,
"You've done a good job!"

And that is when all those 20 years of hard work 

and getting up umpteen times at night

and struggling through loneliness and misunderstandings and feeling like a failure

just sort of evaporate.

Three of your kids sit down at the piano on their own and fiddle around with laughs and teases 

and play a trio while the boy bounces on his big ball all at the same time,

and you are so glad they are doing that instead of running around outside trying to find Pokemon.

Instead they are begging you to take them fishing up at the little lake at the park nearby,

and coming home with several fish to fry for breakfast or supper!
And you just bow your head and say, "Thank You, Lord!"
If it wasn't for His grace and help and forgiveness and mercy and wisdom and
fulfilling of promises made to those who obey and trust Him,
this would not have happened.
When we reap the fruit of our labors, we feel rewarded, but
all the glory belongs to Him!!