Christian Homekeeping

Not many things in life involve more of dying to yourself than motherhood.  Sure, there are mothers that will not die to their self and therefore it doesn't mean that just because you are a mother, you are a selfless person.  Sadly, in America, we are full of mothers who are quite the opposite!  We have mothers that want to please themselves or others more than be what God made them to be - a mother.  They won't let anything get in the way of their ambitions and they sure won't die to self in order to take care of their family.

I was reading a devotion from a book about homeschooling by Anita Mellott and noticed a quote from her friend:

Homeschooling is constantly dying to self.

I can testify that this is very true!  Not only is motherhood demanding but teaching your children is complete sacrifice and death to your self.  That is one reason why a lot of women won't do it.  They are glorified on the altar of recognition for all they do outside the home and that is just too valuable to their ego to lose out on that for a no-praise, no-glory life whose rewards are delayed.  However, their children are way more important than any fleshly praise from others - we are talking about souls, the most important souls in your life! 

I can tell you that my life is my husband and children.  I'm their servant and I realized that a long time ago.  I can't serve myself and busy myself with other things without neglecting them.  You have to look at the end - when you are old, alone and in your rocking chair.  What will you regret?  I won't regret that my house wasn't cleaner.  I won't regret that I didn't do more in my community.  I will regret if I didn't train my children right or if they went astray because of me.  I will regret if I didn't be the wife my husband deserves but was filled with my own agenda.  I will regret if my life was all about me.  I won't regret the moments I had my children with me and all the time we had together.  I won't regret teaching them God's Word and everything else they know.  I won't regret being the wife to my husband and providing his meals and doing my best to be frugal with the household.  I won't regret that I died to self and gave myself to my family!

Though I've been sick and extremely tired lately in this pregnancy, I know that I must find it within myself to still school my daughter and play with my son and meet their daily needs and my husband's.  If we never die to our self, we will never find the fulfillment that God gives to mothers who serve.  We are servants!  There is no greater calling as we have the ability to raise men and women for God and saturate them in God's Word day in and day out.  Truly serving one another begins at home and for those with many children, it will only be at home until they reach a new season of their life where they can serve others.