We do not punch our friends in the stomach.

A lot has been going on recently. In the last month or so I started working two days a week at an after school program with pre-K and Kindergarten aged kiddos. I spend a lot of time at this job comforting the kids. I am not used to being around this age group. I knew that they get hurt in small ways often but I didn’t realize how often they cry. I didn’t realize how often they NEED comforting. Yesterday, I spent most of the day talking about consequences with my kids. I didn’t intend to do this but we had a few occasions that really called for it, consequences that come from punching someone in the stomach and not obeying. I also spent a lot of time reassuring and loving and hopefully teaching.

After not working for a week and a half, due to Thanksgiving break, I wasn’t horribly excited to go to work yesterday. But, I came home feeling so great. It is not like I had an easy day or even an abnormally fun day. What I had was a day, which I realized, would have discouraged a lot of people if they were in my situation. What I saw was my gift, my natural instinct of mothering. I do not have the gift of coloring (as one girl repeatedly asked me to do). I do not have the gift of teaching (I would absolutely hate being in a classroom day after day). I do not have a lot of gifts that I admire in others but what I do have is the gift of being nurturing.

I realized this after I came home last night. I have known ever since I gave birth to Ryder that I was meant to be a mother. This is what God set me apart to do. But, I didn’t necessarily know that my gift extends to others… but, I think it does. And I couldn’t be more thankful. I love a lot of things and I would love to be the best at a lot of things but I felt so content last night in my calling to do exactly what I’m doing and that He has me exactly where I am. I want to celebrate my gift. I want to publicly thank the sweet Lord for designing me the way he did. I am thankful that while I am constantly changing and the world is quickly becoming a scarier place that God is steadfast and never changes. He is yesterday, today, and tomorrow and will stay the same at all of those times.

Celebrate your gifts.