An Eternal Perspective.

On recent Sunday mornings, our church has been led through learning more about and understanding what scripture says about "end times", coming judgements, and Heaven. I've loved this series of sermons because I love what an eternal prospective can do to my life.

Let's be real.

I don't always have those moments of just sheer happiness and elated emotions when I look at my kids. Sometimes I look at my children and I get tired. That's all it takes. Sometimes it feels like they're literally sucking the life out of my body. Sometimes I don't want to play games with my two-year old. Sometimes I don't want to change another diaper. But then other times, I enjoy my children so much it feels like my heart could explode. Its all a little unnerving, this mothering thing. If I'm not careful my mothering could be as wayward as my emotions.

So I have to constantly check my focus and purpose. If I'm focusing on the now, I get a little burnt out on the moment to moment needs of little people. My purpose seems to go no farther than getting that cup of apple juice my child is demanding. There's only so much one person can give. On the contrary if I focus on the later and live just to survive and "make it through", then I miss out on the blessings of today. And then again my purpose seems to be to just raise good kids. So what's the middle ground?

Through our Sunday lessons, I'm learning that if I focus to mother my children for Jesus and the eternal reward that will bring, then my purpose becomes so much more rich. I really do want Jesus to say "well done, good and faithful servant". And what I'm realizing is that He will reward people with these words if they are faithful to the work, He's assigned them. It doesn't matter if you're a great influencer of sorts, or "just" a stay-at-home mama. Maybe your work is leading many to Christ, while mine is sweeping cheerios and singing "Jesus loves me". If I'm faithful and work hard, I will be rewarded.

The day to day hum-drum of being a mother can catch up to me fast. I find myself feeling sorry for myself that I can't do this or that. I find myself acting selfishly and being short with my children because I am not getting any kind of reward in this moment, today. But when I remind myself, that my reward awaits me in Heaven and that the Lord could return any moment, I'm able to respond sweeter, love deeper and hope that Jesus would return to catch me in a moment of bringing glory to His name. I'm fearful that He would return in a moment of frustration or harsh word. I'll answer to every sin I commit and that will be a tearful day, but praise be to God that I've been washed clean and given the chance to bring glory to Him through parenting my children.

Instead of being wayward with the emotions of a mother, I choose to find purpose in this amazing assignment God's given me. He's entrusted me with his children and if I remember His imminent return and how glorious the day will be when I meet Him, the challenges as a mother seem so much more doable and my desire to bring glory to Him is so much stronger.

I'd like nothing more than for Him to return in a moment of bringing glory to His name through my parenting. So today I'm enabling myself to do just that by remembering why I am a mother, who I live for and making sure I'm ready to meet Jesus when he says "come home". 

{this post was written for "Mindful Mothering Mondays" head on over to read more posts and encouragement from other mamas. If you have posts you'd like to include, all are welcome!}