Irony of Motherhood

I love irony. And I think motherhood is the epitome of irony. What other life choice can be so filled with joy AND frustration. All is less than a minute!

I was chatting with my considerably younger sister yesterday. She is in her early 20s and just beginning her life. She has so many options and choices and decisions ahead of her. Choices and decision that will most likely affect or effect (to lazy to look it up) her future. And I think part of my responsibility to her is to show her what a Godly family looks like (although we are lacking in many, many ways and so thankful for God's grace.) Which is so ironic because she is one that I probably complain to the most! Because she has a good sense of humor and is easy to talk to and is not judgemental and I love her and like to hear her perspective, I tend to tell her a lot about my struggles. But in a kind of joking way. Because she is our babysitter and is at our house sort of regularly (although not lately ;) she sees what really goes on around here.

It occurred to me yesterday that maybe she sees how frustrating and hard it is, but doesn't always see how fulfilling it is. Where else can you go from smiling uncontrollably about something a child said to tears about something a child has said in just a matter of minutes. Where else can you want to be alone so badly that you will lock yourself in the bathroom just to get a few seconds of peace but not want your children out of your presence more than absolutely necessary. Where else can you gladly send you children off with a family member only to feel so alone in the silence. Where else do you keep some one close, "sheltered" only to eventually send them out into the big bad world to be "salt and light." Where else do you weep for joy AND sadness. What other job brings tremendous pleasure and tremendous heartache. A job that you want to be about you but isn't AT ALL about you. What other job in this whole entire world can leave you feeling so physically, emotionally and mentally drained yet so completely and utterly fulfilled as a human being?!

I felt bad yesterday because I think I give my sister the wrong impression. But, it is really hard for me to describe what I consider to be the ironies of this wonderful, fulfilling, a lot of times frustrating role I believe God created me for. I guess you just have to live it to fully understand . . .