Dear Mom, Thank You For All the Stuff You Didn’t Want to Do

Dear Mom,

Today I want to recognize you for all the things you didn't want to do.

It may seem a little strange that I'm not telling you all the wonderful things you did.   That doesn't seem very honoring.

But you know what?  It's all the things you didn't want to do that make me realize how amazing you are.

When you were tired and ready to fall in your bed, you didn't want to come tuck me in, sing me “just one more song”, or rub my growing-pain riddled legs.  But you did it anyway.

When you had a headache, you didn't want to cook supper and get the laundry done.  But you did it anyway.

When there wasn't enough supper to go around, you didn't want to give up your own helping, but you did it anyway.

When you had an overwhelming to-do list, you didn't want to take the time to teach me how to “help you”.  But you did it anyway.

When you needed a little alone time, you didn't want to spend it reading books to me.  But you did it anyway.

When I got sick and left a pukey mess on the carpet, you didn't want to clean it up.  But you did it anyway.

When  I was being naughty, you didn't want to discipline me for the 15th time for the same thing.  But you did it anyway.

Even today, you still do things you don't want to do.

When you have plans for a productive day, you don't want to give it up to watch my kids.  But you do it anyway.

When you're tired and just want to go to bed, you don't want to cook supper for my family.  But you do it anyway.

When you've just gotten in the groove of a project, you don't want to be interrupted by a long, in-depth phone conversation with me.  But you do it anyway.

All these things you didn't want to do don't prove you're a bad mother.  They prove you're an amazing mother.  What sacrifice is it to read another story, cook another meal, or babysit (again!) if you really don't mind?  It's not.  But you gave up your own desires for my benefit, and that's sacrifice. 

Jesus spent a good deal of time in the Garden of Gethsemane telling God that if there was any other way of salvation than for him to suffer the agony of the cross, he most certainly would take Him up on it.  He didn't want to go to the cross.  But he did it anyway.  That's true love!

And when you as a mother are faced with the things you don't want to do and you do them anyway, that's love.

Real, selfless love.

Thank you, mom, for doing all the things you didn't want to do.  Just because you loved me.