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M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E

Making Time for Motherhood
By Natalie J. Hale

Mothering is hard work.

Wiping noses, changing diapers, preparing endless numbers of sandwiches — it all comes with the territory. But it is also undeniably noble work. Sure, it comes without worldly pay or reward, or the din of applause and the glamour of praise.

And we sometimes don't even find support for motherhood in administrative levels of pro-family organizations. In fact, there is little to no support in our increasingly anti-family society — especially for moms like you who are trying to keep a marriage together, the kids alive, and at the same time building a Christ-centered home.

Motherhood can be a success. That success, even the little pieces that we receive every once in awhile when we see our children sharing without being told or saying their prayers without help, will be all the more sweet because we had to withstand the world's peer pressure in order to keep our families together.

As President Harold B. Less once said:

Where is the first line of defense in this church? Is it the Primary? Is it the Sunday School? That is not the way our Heavenly Father has revealed it. You read again the sixty-eighth section of the Doctrine and Covenants. You will find that the Lord placed squarely on the forefront of the battlefields against the powers which would break down these defenses the home, the first line of defense (see D&C 68:25–32) (Harold B. Lee, Teachings of Presidents of the Church , Chapter 16: Uniting to Save Souls, p. 146).

In time, you will see the fruits of your efforts. President Gordon B. Hinckley wanted us to know that,

[A]s the years pass, you will become increasingly grateful for that which you did in molding the lives of your children in the direction of righteousness and goodness, integrity and faith. That is most likely to happen if you can spend adequate time with them (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Women of the Church,” Ensign , Nov. 1996, 67).

He goes on to say,

Let every mother realize that she has no greater blessing than the children which have come to her as a gift from the Almighty; that she has no greater mission than to rear them in light and truth, in understanding and love;

…I remind mothers everywhere of the sanctity of your calling. No other can adequately take your place. No responsibility is greater, no obligation more binding than that you rear in love and peace and integrity those whom you have brought into the world (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Bring Up a Child in the Way He Should Go,” Ensign , Nov. 1993, 54)

A way to get a handle on the crazy everyday helter-skelter is to get maybe just a little organized. I know for myself if something is out of sight it goes out of mind — meaning if I can't see it, I'll forget to do it. Sometimes it helps to make a checklist of the things that need to be done that day. And sometimes we only can take life one day at a time.

I have some chore charts at my website for LDS moms. They are designed to be used only one day a time and can be a constant reminder of what needs to be done each day with each of your kids. These are free. Download yours here: http://enlightenedhomemaker.com/

However, these free charts are very basic and only offer a few daily tasks. I also have some popular customizable charts created to help moms build daily charts tailored to the individual needs of each of her children. This chart system costs less than twenty cents a day for all your kids. You can learn more at my website: http://enlightenedhomemaker.com/

Your little thread in the tapestry of life is so important and Heavenly Father is very mindful of His daughters. He has assigned us the great and noble work of nurturing our society's next generation. Without mothers, will we have doctors or scientists and all the other professions that constitute a society? No. Because no one made the beautiful and necessary sacrifice to bring boys and girls into the world and teach them the way they should go.

Remember that when you are tired or discouraged the Lord has promised through his prophet Joseph F. Smith that,

Not one child in a hundred would go astray if the home environment, example and training, were in harmony with the truth in the gospel of Christ, as revealed and taught to the Latter-day Saints. Fathers and mothers, you are largely to blame for the infidelity and indifference of your children. You can remedy the evil by earnest worship, example, training, and discipline in the home (Joseph F. Smith “Worship in the Home,” Improvement Era , Dec 1904, 135).

Motherhood is important, no matter how much thanks or praise we may or may not receive for it. There isn't much support from the world and the people of it. But that doesn't change the fact that God has called women to do this noble work. Remember that it was the mothers who raised the 2,000 Lamanite warriors who served with the prophet Helaman. May the Lord bless you as you pursue your noble calling of motherhood.

Natalie's free parenting newsletter, preschool activities, and other great stuff is available at http://enlightenedhomemaker.com

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