a beautiful day approaches...

As Mother's Day is nearing, I have decided to take some time to reflect on the blessing and JOY of bearing the name Mother...
growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a Mother, I longed to be living the life I am currently living, I always wanted to be home with my children...of course have a handsome husband :) which I presently consider my situation, having a "larger" family, with lots of excitement and action, which is likewise our current flow of life, homeschooling has just in the last few years become our conviction and passion for our family, but I am so blessed to be so supported by my husband and parents in this lifestyle of schooling at home...

So, the question is...did I ever envision my life exactly as it is right now?? the answer is no, actually, where I live, as in the state, is not where I envisioned, having some extra things in our live's daily schedule, such as caring for a handicapped child was not something I ever thought would be one of my many "hats" that I would wear as Mother...now that I have worn this "hat" for 3.5 years, I guess it, in a way, has become "old hat", ok, enough with all the hats :) truth be told, I never even wear a real one...he he...but as far as thinking through what makes me, Liz, a mom, my daily journey...wow, I am so blessed, seriously, I know ALL of us moms could recount the JOY in the journey of mothering...so for now, I am journaling on what my heart is feeling as I look back over almost 7 years of being a mom, (my oldest is almost SEVEN!) wow, time sure does fly!

The Lord has brought me so graciously and patiently through much in my life as mom...I consider myself in a place created individually by Him...I have friends that I share with in regards to what I personally have learned through these past years...I won't go into much detail :) for sake of those reading who don't know me in "real life"...but, I do want to share about the grace of God that has been so very close at times and yet has felt far away, I know it is there, that He is patient and abounding in wisdom, ready to be my aid in trouble...walking through and accepting what God has had planned for our family has not always been easy, as many of you can agree, but in the end, how worth it all! For the refiners fire of our God is exactly where, as I like to say, "the rubber meets the road"...do we REALLY believe God and His Word, is it my daily bread, my source of LIFE??? As I have been in the crossroads a few times, asking these very questions, His GRACE has been my constant source of peace and wind behind my sail as I have had to enter into new things in my life...would I trade any of what I have learned for someone else's journey? no way.

I once had a dear older, godly woman tell me, as we were in the beginning stages of adjusting to life with Ezra, that I will know my God in a way that other's will never know Him...as the years have gone by, I have thought of that comment often and I agree, because of what He has chosen for our family, for my husband and I to walk through specifically in regards to raising Ezzy, I feel SO blessed and privileged to be his mom...

I love that having him part of our family has given opportunity for the faith of my 5 year old, who still prays for his healing to continually challenge me in my faith, for my 7 year old to know that helping with her brother who needs lots of assistance is part of our families daily life, I love that his younger brother thinks nothing of the beeps of his feeding pump and lovingly gives the "baba" kisses of love...because of Ezra, I am believing his siblings will have a certain kind of love engrained within them for those that long for love, just can't ask for it and in turn will be gracious and loving to those who are "different" in our world. I love seeing his daddy embrace him and carry him with tender love, being his dad and loving him for who he is...our Ez Man.

So, being a mom for me has had it's challenges, from the many moves and stages in life we have gone through and will continue to walk through, to the daily lessons of resting in who God is. I have loved this journey of being a mom...I love that in a few short weeks, we will Lord willing welcome another son, a child created by God for our family. I have lately been looked at like I have a third eye when answering the question of how many children I have...I have been told that I am "nuts" :) and all I can do is smile and say, children are a blessing and a JOY, I love that my hubbie is my partner in raising our children, that he takes his role as dad seriously and biblically...

I am so thankful for the blessing of being a Mother, a position and job I don't ever want to take for granted, as I know many women out there long to be a mom too...I thank God that He has blessed me with the children He has, that they continually challenge me to BE what I long and believe God wants them to BECOME.

As Mother's Day soon approaches, may we all reflect on the blessing and JOY of mothering eternal souls to the glory of God...

Happy Mother's Day friends.