We especially think about thanksgiving at this time of year. However, this is something that should define our motherhood all year long!
“Let us come into His presence with Thanksgiving.” Psalm 85:2
“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify Him with Thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30
“Enter His gates with Thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Psalm 100:4
Thanksgiving in Motherhood
We read over and over again in the scripture to give thanks and come before the Lord in Thanksgiving. It is such a wonderful way for us to not only have more joy in our hearts by focusing on the blessings, but also a way for us to worship! Gratitude is also worship when we think of the one who gave us all these blessings.
During the holiday months at the end of the year, it can be so busy and distracting that we are too preoccupied to be thankful. I truly think it’s beautiful that Thanksgiving precedes Christmas and New Year as we are first reminded to be thankful and count our blessings. We can look back over the year and see what the Lord has done in our lives.
When the year is hard
Let’s talk openly. Some years are much harder than others. In some ways, this year has been so bountifully filled with blessings, yet in some ways it was so hard. We made some huge career changes and with it lifestyle changes. While that has been an immense blessing for our family, its also been full of challenges as we work to navigate the newness of everything. We also welcomed a new baby this year that has been the biggest blessing!
So what has made things challenging? As I mentioned before, the change in career also came with a lot of lifestyle changes that have definitely been challenging. It’s hard on a growing family with little ones to have changes. Every person craves some kind of stability and we haven’t fully had that due to all the changes.
Along with having a new baby, I had a difficult pregnancy and a difficult first month with a newborn. A difficult pregnancy is so hard mentally, because it’s 24/7 and there’s no complete relief until the baby born. Once our baby arrived we had to deal with a rough case of acid reflux. My baby cried 24/7 no matter what. I tried every trick/remedy under the sun to try and give her relief but nothing worked. I still have no idea how I made it through the days and nights of crying and staying up will 2am, falling asleep for 2-3 hours, then starting all over again. Sometimes I only got a couple hours of sleep because my husband took the baby.
Then one of the biggest things I’m thankful for: modern medicine. I called my kids pediatrician crying and asked them to get me in for an appointment ASAP because this was not normal and not sustainable. The baby was diagnosed with acid reflux, given a medication for it, and became a different baby over night. I can not put into words how thankful I am! She is the happiest, easiest baby I have ever seen.
Let’s apply it
My point with all this? Through pregnancy and the newborn days, I found it hard to be thankful sometimes. Yet, I was always reminded of things to be thankful for. Such as, a healthy family, a healthy baby, good work for my husband, and husband who provides, and the list can go on!
Being thankful can not simply be based on circumstances. Yes, it is far easier to be full of thanksgiving when my baby is smiling, cooing and sleeping like a dream, than when I was throwing up during pregnancy. However, the goodness of God was evident in both circumstances. My body has a hard time but it still did what it needed to do to grow my baby and bring it into this world. God was good even then, and God is good now too.
We come with Thanksgiving before God because HE IS GOOD. That truth does not change because of our circumstances. May we remember that this season and come before His presence with Thanksgiving.
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