Reigniting the Joy of MotherhoodSample

Stop and Ponder I still remember the day our oldest daughter tried the monkey bars for the first time. We were at a local park, and I was standing off to the side observing. As one of her friends showed her the monkey bars, I immediately saw a look of determination on her face. She wanted to try it herself. She stepped up and took the first leap. As she neared the end, a huge smile swept across her face. She let go, and as soon as her feet hit the ground, she looked around, calling, "MOM! MOM! I JUST DID THE MONKEY BARS." My heart leapt. I was so proud of her. What was even more heartwarming was that she wanted to share this moment with me. Little did she know I was watching her the whole time. I'm reminded of the verse in Luke chapter 2, right after Jesus was born. Verse 19 reads, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." What happens when we stop, observe, and treasure these small moments in our hearts? If we step back like Mary and observe the miracles in front of us? I think we'd see more of God's heart. His loving-kindness. The uniqueness He created in all our children. These little moments. The sweet smile when I walk into her room in the morning. The hug I get after picking him up from school. These are the moments I dreamt of as a little girl. I don't want to let them pass me by. That means we must put down our phones, let go of our expectations of how things should be, and ponder the treasures God has entrusted us with instead. This is how we truly reignite the joy of motherhood. The days are long, but the years really are short. What would happen if we stopped, pondered, and treasured a moment each day with our kids? Take time today to write down one of your favorite things about being a mom.