What a Job!

I have held some interesting jobs in my life: babysitter extraordinaire, billing clerk, waitress (a couple of times), paralegal, and business owner.  You certainly run into all sorts of characters in each of these fields, from cranky children to mean bosses and rude customers.  But, never have I felt challenged the way I do in my current job:  Mommy.  I've been at this "job" for 10 1/2 years now, and it just gets more challenging every year.  It was almost easy when they were babies - they didn't move a whole lot, feeding them was really easy, if inconvenient sometimes, they slept A LOT, and they didn't talk.  Granted, they were up at all hours of the night and caring for babies is a full time job, but no one prepares you for mothering older children. 

Older children talk... A LOT!  In fact, there are times when all three girls are talking to me at the same time about three different things and I think, "My brain's going to explode!"  Obviously, that doesn't happen, but I feel so overloaded that peace and quiet seem like a heaven that I'll never quite make it to.  Then there are the days like yesterday when Mommy decides it's time to clean our rooms.  You would think I told the younger two girls that we were going to practice Chinese water torture!  There are tears and emotional outbursts - they often forget I can hear them from the next room - and lots of time spent not cleaning, and they wonder why Crazy Mommy comes to visit the house that day.  Needless to say, a 1 hour max. job took them over three just because they refuse to focus and do what's necessary.  I have yet to find a good solution for this, other than sending them up to pick up immediately after getting home from school; before snack time or play time, they have to make sure their room is clean. 

I had a bit of an epiphany about this yesterday - thanks Charles! - and I think I know why I'm so unsuccessful at the cleaning/picking up aspects of mothering.  I am not consistent.  That really stinks!  I pride myself on being a consistent discipliner, but here I am contributing to the problem by letting things go.  I feel mean when the girls miss out on outside playtime because they have to clean their room, but if they have to do it EVERY time their room is messy, I'm sure they'll get a clue and start picking up after themselves. 

This makes me think of how God must feel about us sometimes.  How often do we let the messes of life throw us spiritually off track?  How do we stay on task when life is throwing 30 different things at us all at once?  I think the answer can be found in Proverbs 22:6, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.  If I train my girls now in something as simple as keeping their rooms tidy, when they are older it will be ingrained.  Likewise, if we train them from an early age to love the Lord and glory in His commands, when they are older their lives will reflect His love and goodness.  That's what I want for my girls, and it's what I want to continue to grow in my life, too!