All the King's Daughters—Talk to me, Abba

No one could have prepared me for motherhood or restoring this old house. I never knew how hard it would all be. It's like marriage. You cannot fathom the sanctification it will bring if you submit yourself to it. The fatigue sets in sometimes and I wonder if I am really equipped for all of this. Did I sign up for too much? The weariness will make you sound like a fool. I've said things I didn't mean to my girls. I have repented and walked in forgiveness. Motherhood is no joke. If you really want to fight your natural fleshly inclinations and love people fiercely with gospel love, it is going to be painful. It is going to be exhilarating. It is going to wreck you and remake you in a way that can't be explained. Every single day you have to remind yourself not to give up. For me, it is every fourth-five minutes. Work as if working for the Lord takes on a deep, holistic meaning. 

I think about working as if working for the Lord quite a bit. I think of it in restoration and in parenting. A wise woman recently reiterated to me that we are raising God's children. Of course, we all say that. I just wonder if we act like it. It made me think of the Shirley Temple classic The Little Princess. In the beginning, when the people at the boarding school are getting the father's money and believe him informed, they dote on the young girl. Then, the minute they think that the father is out of the picture, they begin to abuse her and take away her food. 

To be honest, it's easy to be kind when the blessings abound. It's hard when there is poop on the floor, a child ripping out her sister's hair, and people screaming at you all day. It's easy to forget that these are the King's daughters. I just keep coming back at the point of every failure and asking Jesus to make my heart tender to him. I want a heart that is so tender to him that it can yield to grace even on the driest of days. When mercy is on short supply, I tell my girls where I am at. I use the opportunity to share the gospel. We all fall short of the glory of God and can rely solely on his righteousness. Jesus is the perfect parent. My girls are safe with him. 

Even when we work alone on an old restoration project, we work as unto the Lord. Please feel free to stop by. This sista needs a fist bump and a hearty, "well done." I finished the guest room floor...even though one of my children walked in it. Now on to the moulding. 

The Lord bless you.