The Patience of Motherhood

My dear readers, I know it has been months since I posted anything containing creative substance here on my blog. The trials of life and motherhood have kept me away from my creative writing. I wouldn't have it any other way though. We are settling into our new house more and more everyday and we are expecting a new blessing in May 2011. With that said though, it feels great to have the creative writing juices flowing again in my little brain.

On my mind today is a comment made by an unassuming postal worker at my small town post office. Being a Mother herself, I know she did not mean any offense by her comment. And frankly, I did not take any offense to what she said. However, her words struck a chord within my heart and started my mind wondering, why? What was it that she said you ask? After realizing that my 3 kids and I along with our little dog had walked down to the post office she said, "You have the patience of a saint." My immediate response was, "No, I really don't, they are great kids." She could not be convinced otherwise however. So I left well enough alone, wished her a good day, and happily left the post office with my 3 well behaved (at that moment) children and always well behaved dog.

As we walked the few blocks home I reflected upon her comment and the sentiment in general regarding what Moms of "more than 2" go through on a daily basis. Please keep in mind I am not singling out those of us with more than 2 as being anything above those with 2 or fewer children. I am simply making an observation that society feels that those of us with more than the standard national family average of 2 children sacrifice or endure more than Mothers with less children (a sentiment with which I do not agree).

Two main thoughts about her comment came to mind as I walked home this afternoon. The first of which is, Moms of many do not have any more patience and understanding than those Moms with fewer children. We all make our own choices about our family size. The fact that I have 3 and soon to be 4 children does not give me any more patience than friends of mine with only one or two children. Mothers everywhere take each day as it comes to us. Each moment of our day is about protecting, nurturing, caring for, educating, and loving the children God has blessed us with. I should point out that stay at home Moms do not have any more patience or understanding than those Moms who venture off to work everyday. We all have motherly duties and those duties do not stop just because you are sitting behind a desk or bringing home a government taxed paycheck. Perhaps the lady at the post office today caught me in a "good patience" mood, perhaps that is why she said what she did. Honestly, I can tell you that like Mothers across the globe I definitely have days when my patience tank is run dry. I am not even running on empty those days, my tank has dried up and not even one more drop can be squeezed out. We have all had those moments, yes even those Moms you know who seem to always have it together. (that is a whole other blog post altogether) The patience I feel towards my children grows directly out of the vast and unending loving that I feel for them. Each day they are growing and learning. It is my job to shape and nurture that process. I feel a great sense of joy and accomplishment watching my children experience life. Patience for their mistakes and bad behavior is a beautiful gift God has given me. It does not make me a saint, it makes me a Mother.

The second thought that grew out of the postal workers comment was a bigger and more spiritual one. I do not have the patience of a saint, I have only the patience that God has blessed me with. God gives us everything we need at exactly the perfect moment in our lives; never too soon nor too late. When I went from a single woman to a wife, step-Mom, and birth-Mom in less than a year God was there. After the birth of my daughter God was there also, he gifted me the patience needed for a Mom with school age children and 2 littles, 2 and under. Yet again, coming this Spring God will give me the love and patience needed to lovingly Mother and homeschool 4 children. He has not granted me that level of patience today nor will he give it to me tomorrow, He will grant me the love, understanding, and wisdom needed for my life at just the right moment. I can not ask for or expect anything less or more. He gives me all I need at exactly the right moment in my life. How could we as believers ever ask for anything more than that? We can't and shouldn't.