Brain cramp
I am a substitute teacher, but I haven’t worked more than one day for the school district in the last year. It just hasn’t worked out where I’m able to sub on short notice because I have to arrange childcare. So I’ve just been doing pre-arranged sub days, but unfortunately I don’t know many teachers in the district. Anyway, a few weeks ago my friend asked me to sub for her. I was so excited I quickly said yes and started working on clearing my calendar and thinking of babysitters. But, oh yeah wait, I have 2 kids now so that might be a little harder. Oh yeah and wait, the baby will be less than 2 months on the day she needs me to sub. Oh and I don’t even know if the baby will take a bottle. So I called my friend back and told her I wouldn’t be able to sub for at least a few more months.
Brain cramp. I just completely forgot I’m a mom.
It suddenly hit me that I’m not going to get to do a lot of stuff (especially spur-of-the-moment stuff) for quite a while. Dang, responsibility!
With this realization there can be two reactions and to a certain extent I had both. One: Get depressed because I won’t get to do “my thing” for the next 20 years and get frustrated that life will never again be normal. Two: Realize that there is a new normal for me, because my children aren’t leaving, and praise the Lord for it.
The world often tells us (especially women) that we need to put our life “on hold” to have children. Children are seen as an inconvenience to our finances, careers, bodies, etc. The world tells us that our lives should be more than just caring for children. Am I really that surprised that I momentarily forgot about my children when I got asked to sub? Jesus teaches that children are valuable and to be treasured, that we must become like them to know Him and enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:13-16). He also teaches that He reveals Himself to little children (Matthew 11:25), so children are definitely a blessing.
I’m not saying that I will never sub or work again. But I need to realize that I have a new normal in my life that includes my children. The world wants to call them responsibilities, obligations, and inconveniences, but I think Jesus wants us to see them as blessings!
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Addie–Thanks for your honesty. Your transparency is amazing and brings glory to God. Children are a blessing. I teach Second Grade on the Oregon Coast, and it is amazing; however, God has planted the gift of mothering in our hearts. It won’t leave until it has been fulfilled. May God richly bless and fulfill you in your role as a mother.
Addie:
It’s difficult to be a woman these days- we often find ourselves inclined to think like the culture and often need God’s Word and advice from Christians (like yours above- so well said) to snap us back into reality. I’m a high school teacher without children. I often find myself conflicted as to when I will have children; I feel responsible for so many children (teenagers) already. I’m praying God will bring my heart to the level of maturity that you allude to in your article. Thanks!