Who am I a Mother to?

In high school, our Bible teacher Fran Sciacca would challenge us. He would ask us what we wanted to be when we grew up. A doctor? That's great. Now, where will you go and be a doctor? A lawyer, a teacher...who will you do this for?

I have to admit that Fran's faithful efforts to stretch our (my) mind for the cause of Christ were often drowned out by the ticking clock, as I counted seconds to the bell, days to the weekend, weeks to summer.

But God graciously refused to let Fran's influence leave our lives. And I heard him ask me that question again. This time I was in his Sunday school class, eight months pregnant with Caleb. The same question, this time to men and women who were seasoned, comfortable, planned. Again, I pushed aside, hoping that Jamie was listening. Because me, I was retiring for good. I would be a mommy. I felt Caleb's heel outlines pressing against my swollen belly.

Two wonderfully unexpected additions later, I listened to Fran ask the question again in another class setting, and again. And then, I began meditating on it all the time. I remember defending myself to God in my time with Him one morning, thinking I don't have anything to do in a really radical way. His reply was the same as mine that second time...You're a mother.

It seemed obvious who and where I would be a mother. Three sons, four and under, followed me around all day. But as this question continued to echo through our lives, we began to embrace it, as driving force. Not for legalism, or rules, but because of who our Savior gave His life for and because of where He came to do it....because of His deep love for us.

We reached a place where many a mother dreads to go, and toyed with the homeschooling word, and we recognized the Father was calling us to own it for this season. Not because it was the right way, but because we knew He wanted us to be the the full-time models of repentance and faith before our sons, again for this season.

I thought for sure that was the answer. But the question continued to whisper in our home. Who will you be a mother to?

And then I saw Jamie's heart break for the fatherless. He said, I want to be passionate about the things our Father is passionate about: the widow, the stranger...the fatherless. I want our lives to be about this.

How will we find time to do this? I asked.

We do life with them.

So who am I a mother to? I'm a mother to three sons, who are my crowning joy, but I'm also a mother to the fatherless....the motherless. My heavenly Father has not simply commanded me, but intimately invited me, as the bride of His Son to love those most lovely to Him.

How can I do this with laundry, and homeschooling, and chores, and life?

My answer....How can I refuse?