“Motherhood and nursing. Two of the most thankless careers in the world and I chose them both.”
I’m not going to lie. Sometimes this is how I feel! Two jobs of giving all day and cleaning up after people.
In nursing today, the trend is to make people happy and healthy. Which often times is impossible. It’s like the story of the rich young ruler. Jesus gave him a prescription for what would be best for his ultimate good (health), but the ruler went away unhappy, because it wasn’t what he wanted to hear! Often times in healthcare today, a patient given what he needs and not what he wants buys the hospital low HCAPP scores, less reimbursement from Medicaid, no nurse bonuses, and a lot of “how to be nice to your patients” classes for nurses. Thankless!
But motherhood? That’s an even bigger challenge. Forget about the endless loads of laundry, constant sweeping, dusting, and vacuuming. Hey! I’ve done the exact same load of laundry at the end of the day, I did at the beginning…and with 8 loads in between!
Forget about the keeping up with your kid’s creative side. The smudgey markers, duct tape, cut up paper, and Legos strewn around. I just talked to one of you Moms who recently found a science project of a bottle of pee in the bathroom! Good grief! (And hilarious!)
Then there’s the keeping the little monsters clean. Clothed. Wearing long pants in winter. Now that’s a constant battle!
There’s education to keep on track. Whether you homeschool all day or help with homework, at times it’s enough to make a grown woman cry!
And forget about the keeping them fed part. Growing kids are bottomless pits! Some of you are great at really healthy meal-making! Impressive! Important! But most likely…Thankless!
And then there’s the actually important part! The whole “train up a child in the way he should go” part. There are worries that creep into all mothers hearts. Will he be respectful? Will he be kind to everyone? Will she say no to drugs? Will they choose the right college? Career? Who will they marry? Will they come to have their own relationship with their Savior?
AND
Will I give them what they NEED as little ones in my home? Will I give them enough HAPPY to keep them from resenting me? Authority. The church. But NOT TOO MUCH that they become entitled, spoiled, and dysfunctional.
In the end, I guess I didn’t sign up to be a nurse or a Mom to get praised or thanked. Actually, I’m not sure why I signed up…HaHa! Juusstt kidding! But still, I’m not going to lie. Sometimes it’s hard.
I was searching for “mother verses” to add in this. And “Blessed is the mother who does endless loads of laundry, makes organic meals, and produces 4.0 kids”… well, that wasn’t in the Beatitudes!
But I did find a little passage that I don’t recall ever reading before. II Timothy 1, Paul is writing to Timothy. He thanks God for Timothy. And in verse 4 Paul says, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
That is pretty amazing! In a time when Paul also encouraged women to keep quiet and be submissive, he gives a shout-out to Lois and Eunice! He recognizes them, both for the sincere faith that lived in them, and for passing that faith on to Timothy.
At the end of the busy, messy, crazy, thankless day, I desire to be like Lois and Eunice! Oh Lord, please let sincere faith live in me! May I be faithful to you by successfully passing faith on to my boys.
Happy Nurses Day this week to my fellow nurses! And Happy soon coming Mother’s Day to my fellow Mommas! May we claim Galatians 6:9 every day! “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we WILL reap a harvest if we DO NOT GIVE UP.”
Hang in there friends! Like Lois and Eunice, keep the faith!
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