Full Time Nanny

I don't write too much about my personal thoughts here but I am going to try and do that more so that this blog becomes a record of my walk with God as well as of my children and our lives.

As I watched my neighbor's nanny walk into her house one day I sighed and thought "must be nice."  At that moment I remembered the dozen or so times that I have excitedly pinned something on Pintrest knowing in my heart that the only way that project is getting accomplished is if I have a full time cook/housekeeper/nanny.  I let my mind wander to my neighbor's Pintrest life and wondered if her DIY projects were highlighted there as I thought mine would be if I had someone to watch the kids while I crafted.  At that moment God spoke to me and told me that if I had a full time cook I would never have the joy of baking with my children.  Of laughing with Faith when she sprayed cocoa powder and flour all over the kitchen.  They would never know the delight and pride of telling Daddy "I made this for you" because the cook would take care of the meal preparations and I doubt would like the help of a 4 year old and 2 year old. 

 

If I had a full time housekeeper I would never be able to take any credit for teaching my girls a strong work ethic.  I might be able to eat off my floors but Rebekah would never run excitedly to me to show how much dirt she'd gotten on the bottom of her swiffer.  I would never see my girls ankle deep in bubbles in the bathtub with huge grins on their faces as they slide around in them.  Folding laundry takes twice as long when I have two small helpers but someday I plan to sit back with my coffee and watch them do all of it :)  Perhaps that is a dream but it certainly will never come true if I don't do the leg work for it now. 
If I had a full time nanny to watch the kids while I sewed them pretty dresses and created awesome crafts I would miss out on being their mommy.  They would be dressed in my creations and would be making some rockin' crafts but we wouldn't get to have spontaneous dance parties or sit down for some yummy pretend coffee and doughnuts in the pantry. 

This Mama business is no joke.  I get to teach them about Jesus, about the number of teaspoons in a tablespoon, and how to write an N.  Daily I am confronted with my own sin in this rock crushing profession of motherhood.  I am truly convicted when I read the words "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Matt 6:12) for how can I feel put upon by their flesh acting out and not have some twinge of how God feels when I fail against Him.  I have the most awesome responsibility in getting to raise up this next generation for Christ.  I love the quote from Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic "God has given us the job of teaching His law and demonstrating His grace.  We are to be guides to our children as they learn to walk with God."  I get to do these things while life happens inside my home which includes cooking, cleaning.  Some days I would love to get just a few more things done but really, what needs to get done will get done.  My kitchen table always seems to be sticky and there is a pile of junk on the kitchen counters that never seems to go away (just the contents change out every few months) but the girls won't remember those things (I hope); they will (hopefully) know Jesus and while looking at the pictures of our non-Pintrest worthy crafts, remember the fun we had making them :)

Thank you Jesus for some eternal perspective.