PRAISE AWAITS YOU IN HEAVEN

Gospel Reading Luke 17:7-10
"When you have done all you have been told to do, say 'We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty." Luke 17:10

I think it is our human nature to want to recieve thanks and praise for the works that we do. We are living in a world of instant gratifacation. A world constantly working for more while receiving bonusus, praises, salary raises, new homes, new cars, new clothes, paid vacations, and the list goes on. These are all because a person's hard work was noticed, praised and rewarded. But what about in Motherhood? We work so hard day in and day out for no pay, no praise, no bonus, no vacation....we just do our duty. In Luke, Jesus tells us that we should do our job without expecting praise. I believe that is why so many mothers flee the homes today. They are in search of all the rewards you recieve in working outside the home. Sometimes as Homemakers and mothers we just feel pushed around, beat up from the chaos, and ask ourselves 'is this really how I imagined how my life would turn out'?

When I got my degree in Interior Design, I was ready to set the world on fire. I did an internship in New York for one of the top designers in the county. I walked everyday down Madison Avenue to her firm that was located right next to Barney's and across from DKNY. I helped with a photoshoot in the Tisch Home overlooking central park. The photoshoot was to be published in Architectural Digest. Wow, my dreams were coming true. She offered me a job after the internship but each day as I walked down Madison Ave., I felt like there was something more. Something was missing. Would this really make me happy? I learned at that moment in my life that the grass is always greener on the other side. I was making my dreams come true, so I thought, but wasn't fullfilled. Jesus had something more waiting for me. He had planned for me to be His servant. Serving my husband by helping start our business and serving God by starting a family and chasing three loud and crazy toddlers under a little 1700 square foot roof. In today's world that would be looked upon as "poor Kim, she gave up being a designer in NY and now look at her life...".

I think all of us mothers would agree that motherhood is way harder than we ever dreamed of and maybe alot less glamorous than what we thought it would be. I think we all get frustrated at times when we never receive thank you's or praises. However, as God's servant, we should end the idea that we NEED praises and thank you's. We are just doing our duty. If the praises come our way from our husbands or friends, we should be thankful but we should never expect it. Our work inside the walls of our homes are not seen by the world; however, they are seen by our Lord Jesus. And that is truly all that matters. Our rewards are not instant here on earth, they are stored up for us in heaven. We have delayed gratification and delayed bonuses, and a delayed eternal vacation. Keep that in mind today as the grass looks greener on the otherside. There is nothing more important than what you are doing at this very moment.....taking care of your home and family. Let everyone else enjoy recieving the praises and raises and just smile and know that your day is coming....

Have a blessed Tuesday!