Friday, November 5, 2010

My Vocation as a Mom

Don has written a new blog post at Love God Not Stuff. His topic is "Vocation," meaning the work that God gives us to do in our everyday lives. I love how Don reminds us in his post (and reminds me here at home) that to faithfully serve in whatever role God has put us is actually God working through us. God uses us in our roles (moms, dads, teachers, doctors, siblings, etc.) to serve others and show His love to them. When I make dinner for my family, I am faithfully serving God. When I do laundry, grocery shop, clean up, read to the kids, wrestle with and tickle them on the floor, listen to Hannah talk about her day while I help her with her homework, give baths, teach the kiddos about God and His infinite love for them, I am serving God in the role He has defined for my life right now. These things take a LOT of time and energy. Sometimes I feel guilty that I am not doing more outside the home - like volunteering at church or with the PTA. But the concept of vocation reminds me that God does not expect me to neglect my family so that I can serve elsewhere. My primary earthly responsibility is to them. They deserve my best - because I am doing God's work by serving them!

So read Don's post and let him know what you think. Have you ever heard of vocation in this way before? How does it affect how you go about your daily life? Vocation looks different in each person's life. How does it look in yours?