My Job

When I was a young woman... not like I'm ancient now... but, when I was early in the process of trying to figure out what kind of adult woman I wanted to be, and whether or not I could be who I wanted to be, I was blessed to have a couple of good women come into my life; to influence me and exemplify some characteristics I admired and wanted to emulate. One, more recently, has been such an example to me making a short list of three who've left a profound impression.

Laura: never said a negative thing about anyone.

Marty: always maintained an even, peaceful disposition, even when her kids pressed her buttons...even when, beneath the surface she was feeling less than peaceful :)

Jewel: after a lifetime of marriage and so many difficulties in life that most people never experience, has remained joyful, grateful, faithful and loving to her husband, to her children and grandchildren, and to her Father in Heaven.

There are many women who have touched my life; many I admire and respect, though these three have exemplified particular strengths I desire for my own. I've striven over the years to emulate these Christlike qualities. I've made progress, but still have miles to go before I rest, to quote the poet.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit briefly with a sweet young mother I've known for some years. We've lived away from each other for a year or so, and I hadn't seen her in a long time when I happened to meet her at a party in the town where I used to live near her. She said something to me that touched me deeply.She told me I am one of the few women in her life who have had a profound impact on her as a young woman. I don't think she knows how much that means to me. I don't know if I'm her Laura, her Marty or her Jewel, but I'm so glad to be the Sally she will always remember.

That's part of what we want, as women, isn't it; To feel special to somebody? To feel like we've made a difference in the world?

Sometimes we feel like our role in life isn't such an important one. Especially when we choose to be home with our children, and for our husbands, we may come to believe our part in the grand scheme of the world's happenings isn't valued by the world, in general. If someone isn't paying you by the hour or by the week, month or year, then you must not be doing something valuable with your time, right? Being home with children, having children in general, is the role of someone not educated to do something more valuable to society, we sometimes feel...Of course this is wrong, but sometimes we listen to the voice of discouragement. This is important to understand: feelings like these; ideas like these are those planted by the enemy of righteousness. I don't have to name him here. You know who he is. It's important to know, too, that your Father in Heaven created you, as a woman, and gifted to you the necessary qualities which enable you to do the great work assigned to us, as women: to bear, nurture and rear righteous children; in essence, to build His kingdom here on earth.

I've used the line from the poem before, but remember it again: "The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world." We see in the sad state of the world today, that many of us have not rocked the cradle with care. We've hired it away to the daycare workers and school teachers. No offense intended to any of those workers, as there is a true need for them and so many are gifted nurturers. However, in too many instances, women falsely believe that what they, themselves can do for money is more valuable than that which they could do at home, with their own children, for love alone. I do not apologize for stating here that no amount of money can hire a replacement mother. No mantter how gifted the caregiver, nobody can replace the care of a loving mother to her child. To anyone but the mother, it's a job to care for a child, no matter how gifted nor well intentioned the caregiver. A gentle, loving, rigtheous mother cannot be replaced by someone hired to do the work that rightfully belongs to her.

In considering the Atonement of Christ, one considers the greatest gift, greatest sacrifice, greatest service to all mankind... but a gift without price and not able to be purchased with money. The Atonement was sacrifice and service that no one can hire, but all mankind requires. Such is the type (on a much lesser scale, compared to that of the Savior), of love and gift of self that a mother gives to her family when she sacrifices the lauds of men, the merits of money and the gratification of self to give quiet, loving service to an infant in the night, in the morning, and at any moment when her baby, toddler, young child, or teenage child needs her. A mother who lovingly and willingly brings God's children into her home, welcomes them and loves them as they grow, who is there for them when they seek her and even when they don't; this mother rules the world, along with her sisters throughout the world who do the same godly work.

Truly, the errand of angels is given to women, though not a penny is paid for the great work we do.

How grateful I am for the women who have touched my life; those who have shown me how it looks to be the kind of woman I've tried to grow up to become. I'm still growing up, and have a long way to go.

Thank you Laura, Marty and Jewel... and thank you, Amber. I needed that. Sometimes I still hear the whisperings of the enemy, and I get discouraged.

It will be a long time before my kids are old enough to affirm my decision to be a stay at home mom. One of these days, when they're all grown, living their own lives with children of their own, I'll see whether or not the difference in the quality of their lives compared to so many of the sad people in this world is that which I've been hoping for and praying for all these years as I've been here to nurture and teach them by my words and deeds. Until then, I'll continue in the work I set out to do nearly a quarter of a century ago when I was pregnant with my first child: the work of motherhood; the work or womanhood.

Though I won't have a retirement fund to show for it all, I'm glad to be called to this work and grateful for it. My retirement plan is to lay up for myself treasure in heaven... because that's where my heart is...

Besides, the monument I'm building and plan to leave to the world will be worth more than a trust fund. It will be manifest in the lives of righteous people for generations to come... beginning with those lives I brought into this world.

At the end of the day, I don't think "another day, another dollar." I do, sometimes, think on the words from the scripture that say, "This is my work and my glory; to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

What a job, huh?

I'm glad to be a partner in that work...though small my role may be, in the grand eternal scope...still...the worth of one soul is great in the sight of God.

As many women who have impacted my life, I'm a woman who will profoundly impact the lives of these children I've borne... and other people...

I'm not a young woman anymore...but not a grandma yet,(though I'm old enough to be!).

I'm not done with my work here.

I'm not done growing up, either.

It's a strange place to be...but a good place to be.

Not to sound presumptuous, but I think it's the same place where we all are...