Since you spend every day-or close to it-with your child, I would guess you value family to a great degree. Whether you know it or not, you teach that family is important and you probably hope your child will grow to value ‘family’ as well. Every day your mission is caring for your family.  Family is our first connection to faith. Family is our compass of values.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)

If our parents are there for us when we need them, then we can understand how God is there for us. In a child’s limited ability to understand what they don’t see, as a mother, our ability to prove that our love is unfailing is so important to our children believing in faith.  It sets them up for being secure as they pursue what is in store for them in their life.

I would venture a guess that occasionally you stray from being motivated to put everyone first and slip into wondering when you get your time. I do it. 

Sometimes I wake up at 6:00 AM and don’t get a moment free until I hit the pillow at 10:30 PM.  Yes, many days (or rather nights), my only ‘me time’ is sleep.

I knew there would be sleepless nights and busy days when I embarked on trying to have children. I watched my mom work part time at night just so she could stay home with my brother and me each day.  She never complained-to my knowledge-about not getting time to herself.

Every day was not pretty or perfect, but she pushed through.

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and  do not forsake your mother’s teaching.  Proverbs 1:8 (NIV)

I know I get more sleep than my mom did, and I am still exhausted many days in this season of motherhood.

Somehow she did it with no sleep many nights…yes, awake all night taking care of babies in the hospital (she was a nurse) and then home to take care of her two babies all day.  She wanted to stay home, but the finances didn’t allow it.  Her devotion to her family (balancing SAHM and work-at-night-mom) taught me that family comes first. That lesson is my motivation every day.

My family is very close.  Much of that credit goes to 1) my dad being the main breadwinner and 2) my mom staying home during the day and fitting her career in at night.

I spent so much time with my mom, dad, and brother when I was growing up that they know me in-and-out, through thick and thin, my faults, my strengths, my failures and my successes.  We can be brutally honest with each other.  We have all cried together, argued together, laughed and celebrated.  We are COMFORTABLE together.

It was not always pretty or enjoyable, but it led us to solid relationships with each other now that my brother and I are adults. We knew our parents were there for us and would not leave us in times of struggle.

I hope that my husband and I are creating that family environment for ourselves and our children; I think we are on the way.

My goal: 20 years from now, I want to be best friends with my husband and my children.

My parents did that and our family is better for it. In fact, their marriage is even stronger today probably because they focused on family and faith first.

We know our husbands give to our families.  He gives you the opportunity to stay home-a gift to you and your children.  Our children give us smiles and laughter, and many more years ahead of a dynamic and growing relationship.

We will not always be changing diapers, but we are and will be first in our children’s minds.

We are their closest connection to God on Earth.

You witness every part of your child’s every day.  You are by your child’s side as they make mistakes, and learn new lessons.  Much, if not all of the time, you have been the one to teach them.