A Mother's Love

If I am always cleaning, organizing, running errands and cooking
but have not love, I am just another wife and mother.
If I give my time to community service, volunteer work, & church activities
but have no love toward my family, I gain nothing.
If I spend time in God's word, in prayer & in writing
but have no love, it profits me nothing.

Love is rising with little sleep and letting go of a planned week.
It's changing diapers, wiping a runny nose, singing songs and playing "Uh Oh!".
Love reads silly stories and makes air plane noise,
Love carries on her hip.

Love is willing to endure back pain.
It does not envy another life;
wishing things were different or longing for more free time.
Love accepts her lot and believes her cup runneth over.

Love fights bad attitudes.
It confesses sin and asks for forgiveness time& time again.
Love disciplines in hope that her children see God's loving boundaries.
She does not discipline for her comfort or peoples praise.
Love sets other desires aside, so she can look into her child's eyes;
She realizes how fleeting life is.
Love never fails.

~ Emily Murphy ~
October 21, 2008

The idea to write this was modeled in a book called, A Mother's Heart. The purpose was to help us pin point areas in our life that seem to rob us of the agape love we are called to pour out to our children and husband. The purpose was also to bring light to areas that seem so insignificant, such as changing a diaper, and enable us see the little selfless things we do daily in Mothering are communicating and living out this agape Love that God has placed in our hearts through Christ. The Lord has been shaping and renewing my mind in significant ways toward this calling of Mothering. It is also taken from I Corinthians 13.