If anyone is doing the “Journey” devotionals for September, you know the first was all about the “Day of small things”, and the author was a little exasperated with losing herself in the monotony of making lunches, folding laundry, washing dishes, etc.
A few months back, I worked 2 weeks at an extended stay hotel, and quit because I was told I can’t say “God bless you” on my thank you cards, when I got tips, and because it became a topic of discussion for my coworkers and I was being called a “suck up” for even doing it, by an actual supervisor.
I went into that job, nervous, but knowing I needed to pick up slack while Frankie was out of work with a sciatic nerve injury, and I contented myself with the thought of doing the work I had before me, FOR the Lord. I deliberately chose a “humble servant’s” job, that would have me serving others from behind the scenes. In most cases, I never met the occupants of the rooms I was cleaning, but I prayed for them, especially those whom I could tell were here from overseas. I got to sharpen my housekeeping skills, and help people without even having to interact with them, and I did enjoy that, so I was disappointed to finally quit because of the catty behavior of my supervisors and coworkers.
I took home my newly refreshed skills, and I’ve doubled down on keeping my home as clean and welcoming as a hotel. I realized in this, why I enjoyed my previous job at Amazon, on the pack line, so much, was because I was serving people from behind the scenes, even then, with absolutely no interaction with the customers themselves.
So, now, a lot of my time as a mom is spent doing this work that is by and large unseen. I provide the support for my husband who does work outside of the house, and makes more in an hour than I usually do in 2 at any given job I’ve worked. I make sure the kids are fed, bathed, dressed, and educated. I see to the sweeping, mopping, washing, sorting, and folding of laundry. I do the general “straightening up” of all of the items in my house. I scrub the toilet, sinks, and shower, wipe down tables, prepare most dinners, and the only person who USUALLY thanks me is Frankie.
BUT, my KIDS have begun to NOTICE my work.
I was brushing Amora’s hair, discussing costumes for trunk or treating the other week, and she said she wanted to be “the princess with the blue dress, and the ribbon in her hair.. the one who’s always cleaning?“, and I asked her if she meant Cinderella, and told her how I was considering dressing as Cinderella before she goes to the ball, and Amora said, “that’s because you like to clean!”
Roran has started randomly telling me “You’re a good mama!”, and telling me how good the house smells after I’ve been cleaning.
And little Ruby, not even 2 yet, has started wanting to help clean up her own messes, because that’s what she sees me doing.
So it may sometimes feel like I don’t “do” as much as other moms who work outside of the home, and I can be down on myself, comparing situations. But I always remind myself that the people who need to see and recognize my work as exactly that, MY JOB, see it as such, and they are grateful.
My kids ask me for food, because they know I will provide it for them. They look to me for where their things are, because I will find them for them. They want to help me clean because they see how much I am doing it, and it is teaching them how to do it themselves. I don’t need infinite pats on the back, or an overflowing bank account allowing me to live in luxury, because God sees and takes delight in the unseen work of my hands, and He is using me to create the example my kids need.
Sure, it DOES get a little old, but I would so much rather be with my kids, scrubbing and sweeping my idle time away, than missing out on opportunities I have to teach them both directly, and through example. And I am forever grateful to the LORD, for pressing these matters on my heart and growing in me, a desire to show these skills to my kids. Life will never be perfect, but I know that with faith in Jesus, our lives will thrive. ❤
Personally, I take a lot of my time spent cleaning to worship the Lord as well. Much like Cinderella singing to herself as a scullery maid, I sing to Jesus while I clean, and it is some of the most up close and personal time I have with God, and that is the best reward I can reap from the work of my hands.
houseofducketts 