What’s It All About?
I receive letters from women wondering: What
it’s all about? What is the “it” that they’re
wondering about? The “it” is: this life, this
way of life, all this stuff, all the dailies and
all the work. The “it” that they’re asking
about is all wrapped up in a word: motherhood.
Motherhood is many things… it’s prayer, faith,
marriage, homemaking, childbearing, training,
waiting – life. What is it all about for the
mother at home – the mother who, day in and day
out, seeks to make it through, seeks to get it
right: anything – something – done right, done
well enough, done fast enough. But day after
day, mothers don’t get enough things done and
don’t get things done right – but other women
are getting them done right… or so they think.
So, then, what’s it all about?
Well… it’s all about whatever it is at the
time. It’s all about now. When you have
babies, it’s all about nursing, and diapers and
bedding; it’s all about carrying, holding,
feeding, napping and snuggling – and trying to
get it all done. When you have toddlers it’s
all about training and guiding, teaching and
watching – and trying to get it all done. In
both of these, mothers ask: What’s it all
about?
When you have babies and toddlers and olders
you’re trying to do all of those things and
more. Probably even comparing yourself with
other women you think have it all together and
are getting it all done. And you’re seeing the
need for more order, teaching and training and
planning for all the tomorrows of the children’s
lives, and at the same time – still trying to
get it all done; still asking: What’s it all
about? and wondering if you’ll possibly ever get
it all done.
When you have older children… things begin to
take on a new perspective. You have many days
behind you with tasks undone. You see that
you’ll never get it all done – a you may even
begin to experience a bit of relief that simply
getting it all done is no longer a question or a
goal---O, you may still wonder what it’s all
about or what this next phase is all about, but
the getting it all done will likely be less of
an issue. After a while you may get to the
point where you simply seek to get done what the
LORD has put before you to do for that day – for
you begin to learn that that’s enough for the
day and tomorrow will take care of the things of
that day. It sort of goes along with the answer
to fretting over what we’ll eat or what we’ll
wear:
Matthew
6.33-34 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you. Take therefore no
thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall
take thought for the things of itself…”
When the question comes to your mind (and it, no
doubt, will creep in from time to time) “what’s
it all about?” I hope you’ll look back to this
moment, this letter and remember it as a turning
point. For the answer is: now. It’s all about:
now. It’s all about whatever is going on at the
time. You know, these days are what will later
be recalled as: the good old days. These are
the “good old days” for you, they’re “the good
old days” for your children and the youth of the
next generation will hear about these: good old
days. So, if we’re wearied with the daily-ness
of each day and if the small inconveniences of
life irritate us or the work wearies us and
cause us depression or dissatisfaction, then
we’re actually missing out on “the good old
days.” We’re missing out on the: now.
I remember some days long ago where I thought I
was missing out; I thought the world was passing
me by. And I was, and it was. I was missing
out on the running around with friends, the
buying clothes and the hanging out. The world
was passing me by. Some days I didn’t see that
as the blessing it truly was. I didn’t see it
as the protection it really was, and I surely
didn’t see it as the provision it truly was.
You know, God in His marvelous mercy was sparing
me so much loss, so much heartache and so much
emptiness. But I surely didn’t see it at the
time. No, at the time I thought I was so “out
of it,” and so backward. I thought everyone was
having fun while I was stuck at home… under a
pile of laundry, diapers and maternity clothes,
Lego’s, Cheerios, and cheering on the newly
potty-trained, playing peek-a-boo with baby and
on and on. I was missing out on the
now
with my, What’s it all about? and, Is this all
there is? Questions (and moanings).
I was seeing motherhood as a task to accomplish,
something to finish in order to move on to the
next thing. I didn’t know the answer to the:
What’s it all about? question and I didn’t know
that motherhood
isn’t
a task to be finished. But, O, am I grateful to
be learning that Motherhood is a series of
seasons and is wherever you’re at now.
Motherhood is one of the greatest gifts and
blessings a woman could ever hope or imagine to
experience. It’s all your yesterday’s – it’s
all your now’s.
What’s it all about? It’s all about now.
Live, love, learn, laugh, linger… now. These
are the good old days.