Live Like You've Been Chosen-- Because You Have
/“I am chosen, not forsaken. I am who You say I am.” (-Hillsong) When I heard this song early this morning, it felt like God was giving me a theme song for this blog topic! We are CHOSEN! Keep that in mind as you read on…..
By 7:00 this morning I was into my second cup of coffee after enjoying a bit of the first with my love before kissing him and sending him off for his day of work, molding young minds of the future. I had ordered my Gram’s groceries online (thank you #krogerclicklist ), and the gifts she asked me to buy for her great-grandchildren for Christmas. I put the midnight load of laundry into the dryer and started another load. And then I spent a few minutes getting myself ready before getting breakfast started for the littles as their feet began to hit the floor at 7:00.
I’m sharing all this today not to say “look how awesome I am”, but to say some version of this is how every day starts for me, as I get my mind right to to raise, and teach, my five children, care for my 93 year old Gram who lives with us, be an intentionally present wife to my husband, spend time with my Father in the word, and do these things with joy in my heart and smile on my face.
Lately, I have struggled with that last part, the joy and the smile, because, let’s be honest, parenting is tough, homeschooling is tough, caring for elderly can be emotionally draining, the tasks of keeping a home are never-ending, and then to find time on top of that to be the wife I desire to be for my husband, AND have enough quiet time in my head to feel half sane....most days I feel like I fail at somewhere between one and all of these tasks. It can feel like these are impossible requirements for one woman. I can begin to feel unappreciated, unworthy, and flat out unable to succeed.
We can’t all be Wonder Woman! 😍
But something hit me this morning… I don’t do these things for my husband, kids, or Gram. And lest I sound like a martyr, I don’t do it for me either. I do it, because it answers the call God put on my life. The call to be a wife to my best friend, the man who knows me better than I know myself at times. The call to be a mom to these five beautiful children that each come with their own personalities, needs and desires. And the call to be a caregiver to the woman who has cared for me the past 42 years, because even at this point in our lives, she daily looks for ways to help me with the kids, to love on me and to speak encouraging truth into my life. When we shift our focus to ourselves, it’s easy to lose focus on truth. My kids reminded me last night after their Wednesday night bible lesson, that JOY also stands for Jesus, Others and then You. When those priorities get out of line, so does our attitude.
Almost a 93 year age difference between these two.
But, when I see my life listed out in this manner it brings me great joy that this is the life I get to lead, and allows me to see that its not just daily jobs I have to face, but a calling I get to choose to accept each and every day.
These boys 😂
There is the reality we all face every day…am I going to get bogged down in the day to day busyness and frustration, or am I going to choose to face this day….these tasks…. in a manner that says, “Thank you, God, for choosing me for this job, for this life.”? It turns my morning routine from something I have to drag myself out of bed to face with a slight resentment, so something I’m eager to accomplish for His glory.
Love of my life ❤️
I challenge you, this day, whatever it may hold, to answer the call with joy in your heart and a smile on your face. It’s much more difficult to be frustrated when you know you are right where God wants you, doing the thing He has called and gifted only you to do.
Be blessed Mommas, as your accept your calling today!
Jules
** And, as a side note, can I just say how happy this shirt makes me!?!? I fancy myself a bit of a mother hen, and have always called my children my “little chickens” so this glasses wearing (obviously) momma chicken, feels like it was made just for me!