Saturday afternoon musings

You know what the hardest job is?

Motherhood.

Why?

Well, mostly because of social media. We are constantly comparing our parenting styles to the photoshopped and cropped pictures floating in our various feeds.

But, what really makes it hard is the sleepless nights, early mornings, late-to-beds, the meal planning and prepping, the status of referee, and the constant dying to self.

The old self though…

You know what job is the most rewarding and important?

Motherhood.

Why?

Because of the sleepless nights, early mornings, late-to-beds, the meal planning and prepping, the status of referee, and the constant dying to self.

There are so many, millions of times!, where my mind turns to God in these monumentally small things each day.

I am happy to die to my old self. I want to be anew. Anew in Christ. I don’t want to be the old Joanna. I mean, I will always have my quiet tendencies and whatnot. But to be the best version of myself, and in order to accomplish that, I need to be completely selfless. Being a mom enforces and pushes through to perfection all the selflessness that begins in your marriage as it blossoms in motherhood.

So, as I die to self in the sacrifice of those 30 extra minutes of sleep, or not getting to shave my legs in the shower, my mind is lifted to God. It might not include a prayer per se, but the simple act of turning my mind to God fills my soul with the graces I need to push on in my vocation. It ties together beautifully this grand package of “To God, Love Joanna” in all the big little ways of my ordinary life.