Full-Time Mom, Full-Time Job
The Lord provide for some to serve Him both at home and in the workplace. How do they manage?
"So who watches your kids while you work outside the home?" a friend asked. Other conversations came to a grinding halt as the question hovered in the air. All eyes turned to me with expectation.
My mind raced, silently praying I'd find the right response: "I thank God we have wonderful child care. Even though my kids are in good hands, knowing they're always in God's hands is a tremendous comfort. I recognize I'm blessed to be entrusted with both a family and a great job."
Do you know and love someone who has been in a similar situation? You probably do, because 71 percent of American families have a mom in the paid workforce.
With more than two-thirds of today's mothers juggling full-time motherhood and a full-time job, the need for godly mentors is critical. According to the Bible, older women are exhorted to train younger women. Therefore, I humbly accept what can no longer be denied: I'm officially one of those older women. My credentials?
- I've done it all. Blue collar, white collar, home and hearth, from cashier to fast-food cook. I've pumped gas, cleaned rat cages (long story), worked retail, been a telemarketer, worked the family farm and spent a dozen years in pharmaceutical sales.
- I'm an online missionary for moms.
- I'm a mother of three (soon to be four) small children and busy at home.
- I've loved my husband, Dan, my entire adult life.
This article is an invitation for every mother to spend some time under a mentor's wings. For the overworked, overstressed, minivan mom, here are seven secrets to success.
Find prayer partners.
Ask several godly women to pray for you about specifi c situations or struggles. These relationships will draw you closer to the Lord and provide God-given mentors.
Eliminate the extraneous.
Overcommitted with soccer practices, piano lessons, ballet, cheerleading, etc.? Or is the TV on the minute your your family walks in the door? Scale back — way back — and schedule more downtime for your family.
Delegate.
Superwoman does not exist! Your kids should be required to do regular, unpaid work around the house as preparation for adulthood. Plus it eases Mom's workload!
Multitask.
Warning! Implement the first three secrets into your routine first, then multitasking will exponentially increase productivity.
Plan well.
Set up child-care plans A, B, C and D. Plan A is a usual school or workday. Plan B is your list of trusted people you call for last-minute child care when needed. Plans C and D are preset plans in the event that the usual routine cannot occur.
Set priorities.
Establish non-negotiables. What are the things you simply cannot compromise? These are the most important things in your life. Prayerfully make plans in light of them and keep the main thing — well, the main thing. Prayerfully ascertain God's will for your life, and always keep in mind the best interest of your family.
Replenish.
The fourth commandment includes a day of rest every week. You'll accomplish more in six days when you are sharp and focused than you will in seven when you are dog-tired and sluggish. Make Sabbath rest a reality, and prepare for it the day before.
Lastly, some encouragement for mothers: The Lord provides for some to serve Him in the home exclusively. Others serve both at home and at a job. God uses His followers in many places. Therefore, each of us must get our marching orders from Him. You'll never achieve your true calling by playing copycat with your neighbor.
For the mothers who are blessed to be at home full-time, and for the mothers who are blessed with a job in the paid workforce, remember to put "Mommy Wars" aside. They shouldn't exist in Christ's body. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:23).