Reflections: My Vocation

I am just now coming to realize that motherhood is not just something I am doing, it is my God-given vocation! I am reading a wonderful book called "A Mother's Rule of Life". The author says that mothers should have a Rule like Nuns and Priests. A Rule is a type of routine to ensure that everything that needs to be done in a given day is done. I began creating my own Rule last night. It has been an awesome organizational tool to be sure that everything in my home is getting done. I recommend this book to all moms.

A vocation is a job that God gives to a person and he/she is responsible for this job for life. My children depend on me to teach them everything that they need to know. For life. I must also learn how to give them room to grow.

This summer I planned to potty train my three year old son. I bought Pull-Ups (they cost MORE than diapers so I was unloading a LOT of money on these things!) and he constantly wet them. I was still changing him and he was still not potty trained.
One day last week, Anthony asked me why I am still wasting money on Pull-Ups and not putting underwear on him. I was skeptical and just imagined cleaning up urine from all over the house.
The next day, I put underwear on him. Anthony and I reminded him to use the bathroom every so often. He used it and only wet his underwear two or three times all week! Then, today, we heard his little feet running (he never walks) past and asked him where he was going. He said he was headed to the potty!! He is already in the routine and using the bathroom on his own!!
I was holding my little guy back from being potty trained. Sub consciously because he is my baby and I don't want him to grow up. Consciously because I didn't want to deal with the mess if he wasn't ready.

How often do we, as mothers, hold our children back from reaching their full potential because we do not want to be "bothered" by the aftermath if it doesn't work out perfectly the first time? In the vocation of motherhood, we must step back and let our children take the reins, no matter how hard it is for US. We must sacrifice for our children for their ultimate success.

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Things to remember:

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day
With little time to stop and pray
For life's been anything but calm
Since You called on me to be a mom
Running errands, matching socks
Building dreams with building blocks
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes
And other stuff that children lose
Getting lids on bottled bugs
Wiping tears and giving hugs
A stack of last week's mail to read
So where's the quiet time I need?
Yet when I steal a minute, Lord
Just at the sink or ironing board
To ask the blessings of Your grace
I seen then, in my small one's face
That you have blessed me
All the while
And I stop to kiss
That precious smile
-(webmomz.com)


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Are you holding your children back from something? Maybe you are afraid that he will get hurt playing sports, or that she cannot pass a driving test... Please leave a comment telling something that you have learned through the vocation of motherhood...