Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Proverbs 31:10 (04/13/23)
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TITLE: Appreciated | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ellen Janson
04/20/23 -
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“Wow,” she thought, “it’s still dark out. We must have gotten that foot of snow the weather report threatened last night.”
She burrowed deeper into her covers thanking God for her husband. “See,” God seemed to say, “everyone has different jobs.”
Ellen was very thankful hers did not involve being outside in subzero temperatures.
Half asleep, she glanced at the clock - one more hour of sleep before the boys needed to be up for school. Hopefully. Their fourth son, Jack, had been up much of the night - “maybe he’s teething,” she thought as she drifted back to sleep. Jack was two months old and Ellen hadn’t slept more than five hours in a row in at least that long.
She woke to her husband’s very cold nose nuzzling her that it was time to get up, and muddled through the morning chaos of getting three young boys ready for school. When all four boys were bundled up and three backpacks were secured, she backed the Suburban out of their nicely plowed driveway. Her oldest commented how beautiful the bright white snow was; Ellen only half heartedly agreed. After getting the boys to their respective classrooms, she realized there was no way Jack was going to make it all the way back home without a feeding. She would need to nurse him in the parking lot of the school - again.
“Oh, Lord. I’m so tired,” she said out loud. “And not just physically. I feel so insignificant and unappreciated. All I do is change diapers and feed babies. Surely, you have more important work for me.”
God was silent. Ellen went home to the mess of the morning and tried to read her Bible over a bowl of cereal while Jack slept in his car seat. It was two hours until she needed to head back out to pick up her toddler - if she got lucky the baby would sleep the entire time and maybe she could even get a shower.
The ringing phone interrupted her distracted attempt of studying the Bible. It was her friend Penny, calling to check in on her. After some small talk as to whether the baby was sleeping through the night yet, and how her toddler was adjusting to no longer being the center of attention, Penny said,
“Hey. You sound exhausted. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Get some sleep for me,” Ellen joked. They laughed about the impossibility of that and then Penny said,
“I was also calling because I have tickets to a speaker at church. I’ve heard she’s really good. I bought a table for ten and have one seat left - your name is written all over it.”
Ellen hedged knowing it would be hard on Andrew to get their whole brood to bed by himself, but her girlfriend was adamant.
“You need this. It’s time.”
Ellen agreed she would discuss the date with her husband that evening.
“Yes!” Andrew said. “Go. We will be fine. I’ll put it on my calendar.”
A couple nights later, Penny’s horn sounded in the driveway. Ellen had put dinner in the oven and nursed the baby. She quickly put on some lipstick, yelled last minute instructions to Andrew, and raced out the door.
The speaker started with prayer and Ellen felt herself relaxing a bit for the first time in what felt like years. “Who are you doing this for?” was her message. “Whatever it is you’re doing right now, it should be for His glory…or it will leave you empty.”
These words pierced her heart. Who was she doing all this for?
Ellen’s eyes were instantly opened. She realized how unbelievably blessed she was to have four beautiful healthy boys and a husband who loved her and was doing his very best to provide for their family. When she was only concerned with what God thought of all her efforts, she was free. She didn’t have to worry about feeling important in the world’s eyes because she was working for God. And He saw every tear she wiped, every conversation she took the time to have with a toddler, every meal she made and every mess she cleaned up. He saw it all.
Ellen returned home to a frazzled husband.
“I am so thankful for you,” he said. That was nice to hear, but it was just a bonus; she was working for the One True King!
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