And Now Presenting . . . An Attitude Adjustment

Mother's Day morning. Your husband and child(ren) gently wake you up with cards, flowers, and breakfast in bed. You then (already looking close to perfect) eat said breakfast, and when you have finished glide into the restroom where all you have to do is apply a touch of make and quickly comb through your hair. Remember, you're already looking close to perfect. All the while your child (or children) is smiling and organizing all of his toys by type and color. After you are all dressed in color coordinating outfits you happily pile into the family car and head to church where you will converse with other mothers about their equally wonderful Mother's Day mornings.

Yeah! Right!

Or . . .

Your three year old wakes you up at 6:45 in the morning and none too gently at that. He then climbs on top of you where he spends the next 30 minutes asking you questions to which you have no answers. When he decides to crawl out of your bed at around 7:15 he heads into the kitchen where he promptly devours as many Hershey's Kisses as he can in the shortest amount of time possible. You blame your husband because he slept through all of this (keep in mind you never once asked for his help. . . you don't do that he should read your mind). One of your dogs then claws half your leg off trying to use it as steps to climb up on a chair (yes I'm exaggerating for effect just go with it). You clean up spilt milk not once but twice. You wash the dishes that seemed to magically appear in the sink. While doing this you trip over one of the 10,000 Thomas the Train toys scattered throughout your house. You then deal with a tummy ache quite possibly caused by someone deciding it was a good idea to finish off the bag of Hershey's Kisses at 7:15 in the morning. And to top it all off the cable isn't working. Happy Mother's Day indeed! You look around you and think "Really! Doesn't anyone in this stinkin' house get it?". And by the way you do not look even near perfect, you look similar to someone who was run over by a freight train.

Time for a reality check and an attitude adjustment! Remember you're the one who said you wouldn't trade this job for all the tea in China?

So I (yes, I know you're shocked but I'm talking about myself) went back and skimmed over Proverbs 31, and I realized something, this woman didn't whine. She worked from sunup to way past sundown and didn't say two words about it. She didn't feel entitled to anything just because she did all this. She was doing what she had been created to do, and so she did it willingly. Yes we all like and need praise sometimes, but when we come to expect and think we deserve it we've got something backwards in our thinking.

I have the greatest husband and child in the world. We are healthy and happy, and I am blessed by all I've been given. I have food in my pantry and dishes in my sink. If my child is sick I can run to the doctor. I don't have to worry about a roof over our heads or my son starving. I have so much more than so many, and by many accounts I am wealthy. Maybe I didn't have the Hallmark Card Mother's Day morning, but I would rather have spilt milk and tummy aches than the alternative any day.

And now, even though I've printed before, here is a reminder (mostly for me) of what a Proverbs 31 woman is:

Proverbs 31 (starting in verse 10)

The Virtuous Wife

    ¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous wife?
      For her worth is far above rubies.
       ¹¹ The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
      So he will have no lack of gain.
       ¹² She does him good and not evil
      All the days of her life.
       ¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
      And willingly works with her hands.
       ¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
      She brings her food from afar.
       ¹⁵ She also rises while it is yet night,
      And provides food for her household,
      And a portion for her maidservants.
       ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
      From her profits she plants a vineyard.
       ¹⁷ She girds herself with strength,
      And strengthens her arms.
       ¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good,
      And her lamp does not go out by night.
       ¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
      And her hand holds the spindle.
       ²⁰ She extends her hand to the poor,
      Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
       ²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
      For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
       ²² She makes tapestry for herself;
      Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
       ²³ Her husband is known in the gates,
      When he sits among the elders of the land.
       ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
      And supplies sashes for the merchants.
       ²⁵ Strength and honor are her clothing;
      She shall rejoice in time to come.
       ²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
      And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
       ²⁷ She watches over the ways of her household,
      And does not eat the bread of idleness.
       ²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
      Her husband also, and he praises her:
       ²⁹ “ Many daughters have done well,
      But you excel them all.”
       ³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
      But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
       ³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
      And let her own works praise her in the gates.