For EVERY mom...What is the Point?

Okay ladies...this is for YOU!

Do you have those nights when you just need to have a HUGE pity party for yourself?

When you know not a single person in your family or the entire cosmic universe cares about you or anything interesting to you?

You'd know if they cared because they might listen to something you say, load the dishwasher voluntarily, not ask you to find something sitting right in front of their faces. They would make dinner and let you go take a long bubble bath without interrupting.

Today was one of those days!

I was on a mission to do 1 thing today- complete a 5 page paper.

I started by going to church, then to lunch with my daughter, off to pick up my other daughter from the grandparents, back home to change, out the door to mission trip planning, then back home to the peace & quiet. BOOM, no one was home...I got 3 pages written...and then back to the church to pick up 1 daughter.

Now all I had left to write was 2 pages. It should've been easy. The family knew that was all I needed to do.

I sat down at the computer, and...

"Mom, what's for dinner?" the oldest asked.

"Whatever you want. Help yourself." I replied.
"Can I make cookies?"

"Sure!"

"And have that for dinner?"

"Yes!"

Returned to type, when...

The boys came in from a baseball game.

Dad says, "Do you have a sec? I want to tell you about the game."

"Sure."

I listened for 15 minutes about this pitch, that catch, the other run, this idea, that plan. He left.

Returned to typing. Typed 3 words, and...

Son says, "Hey mom!" He rolls the computer chair around & sits in my lap.

Listened for 15 minutes about his version of this pitch, that catch, the other run, this idea and that plan. He left.

Typed 2 more words when...

"Hey mom! Wanna play something?"

"Sure! Give me just a sec."
Left computer & went to eat freshly baked cookies on front porch with son.

Came back & typed 5 words and...

Time to go get other daughter at Bible Study.

Got home. Sat down at computer when...

"Hey babe! Did I tell you about the ball game?"

Listened for another 5 minutes. (Tried to give the "Can we talk about this later look?" He got the hint & stopped at 5 minutes.)

Typed a whole sentence. I was excited about the progress when...

The Country Music Awards came on the TV. The music turned up to 20. I think it was Taylor Swift.

I gave up.

I went upstairs to disappear & have the biggest PITY PARTY in the world. All I wanted to do was write 2 more pages.

All of a sudden I heard the bath water come on. This meant no hot water for me.

I didn't care. I was too sad or mad or whatever.

I filled the tub & got in ice cold water.

I proceeded to cry and talk to the wall. The wall loved me! It listened! It cared about my paper!

All of a sudden I noticed my daughter looking at me. (She's never met the wall.)

"Mom, what's wrong?"she asked.

"Nothing babe. I'm okay. Just talking to the wall. I'll be fine."

"I was just wanting to borrow your tweezers," she said a little confused.

"Go ahead & close my door please."

Resumed tears and conversation with the wall.

The bathroom door opened again.

"Are you okay honey?" my husband asked cautiously.

For 5 minutes we had the "I'm fine" "No you're not." conversation.

I gave up and resigned to tell my husband everything I just told the wall.

He was wonderful. Told me he loved me & he would do better & all the things the wall couldn't say.

I felt better. He left. I eased back down in the tub. (growing accustomed to the frost bite on my toes)

The door opened again, "Mom, are you okay?"

By now I realized the rumor that mom was crying had spread through the whole family.

"I'm fine." I said feeling a little better.

"Tell me what's wrong," the young voice said.

I don't know why but I decided to turn it into a teaching moment.

"You know how daddy has work, coaching, & teaching Life Groups and we listen to him talk about it & encourage him & help him."
"Yeah."

"You know how you have school & baseball & drama & we talk about it & encourage you & help you."

"Yeah."

"Well mommy has school."

And the child said....

"So what's your point?"

What could I do? I just started laughing! I couldn't stop! The child was now in total bewilderment at the mother who had gone from sobbing uncontrollably, talking to a wall, and now laughing hysterically.

After I regained my composure, the hot water heater had kicked on and I topped off the cold bath with a little warm, I thought to myself..."What was the point?"

What was the point of the pity party?

What was the point of all the thoughts that no one cared about me and my interests?

The point is...

Jesus loves all the moms. All the moms of the world.

When they're up & when they're down. In the tub with only the wall around.

Jesus loves all the moms of the world!

There is someone who loves and cares about us.

He will never leave us or forsake us.

He is the one who created us & placed in us all of our dreams & interests.

He gave us our wonderful families who may not show it all the time, but deep in their hearts they love & care about us!