Life with a child… there’s simply nothing in the world like it. It’s pretty wild the influence our culture has had on me when it comes to having children: they’re too much work, they’ll ruin your fun, you won’t be able to do anything anymore, you’ll become older faster, your career will be over, they’ll be a burden to you and others… the list goes on.
While children are certainly hard work it is the best hard work I’ve ever done. I’m only four months into it all, but I feel like I can say that getting up multiple times at night, nursing non-stop around the clock, changing 25 diapers a day, washing spit up out of my hair and clothes, taking multiple trips to the doctor, and putting whatever need John has before my own has been worth all the sweat and tears. He has been everything but a burden. He’s been a beautiful addition to this union of marriage.
Most of all, my son is teaching me to be Self-less which is something I think our world doesn’t want. It’s hard to give up self. It’s painful sometimes to put someone else’s needs before our own. Sometimes I just want things my way, when I want them. And don’t tell me anything different. But God calls me to deny my self. He calls me to higher living because life’s more abundant when I’m not looking into mirrors all day.
My friend Bethany’s mom would always tell her, “Marriage strips away one layer of selflishness and having children strips away the rest.” I couldn’t agree more.
