January 5, 2016

My Dear Ruvelyn,

First of all, let me congratulate you and your husband  for the birth of your baby girl Zoe. What a joy to behold her, having longed to have a baby for six long years. The Lord has His timing perfectly planned for both of you.

When we met in the baby shower your sisters in the church gave to you, you asked me what is the best advice I can give to you as a young mother. I sense in you a kind of anxiety and understandably all new mothers feel that way.

Indeed, being a mother is not easy because the moment you gave birth, you are immediately offered a host of colorful jobs. From being a CEO of your  “company”, to being the head of janitorial services. You are also offered to become a firewoman, policewoman, a coach for all kinds of ball games, a car driver, an ER doctor, a teacher, a scientist, a chef, a 24-hour guard, and to be an  occasional  clown. With all the work you do, you also need to look good and smell good when hubby comes home. In an instant, you become a Super Woman in the making!

Sadly, few  mothers are willing to accept the challenges of full-time motherhood even if they have the option to do so. Most of them are lured by the call of employment outside the home. There is the satisfaction in dressing up, meeting people, going places, gaining honor, and earning a paycheck. In our society, full-time mothers are even looked down and labeled as “plain housewife”, or “only a housewife.”

But the Bible tells us that motherhood is a calling from God. As you accept the calling, God also provides the grace to perform all the job descriptions that goes with motherhood.  Who say you can’t be Super Woman!

So if you have the option of staying at home and caring for your baby, I urge you to do so. Because anything you might have missed can be replaced, but not TIME spent with you baby Zoe. Those growing years are so valuable, and it is a pity that many have not seen how important these times are for the building of the character of the child. And it develops your character too. Later, when Zoe has grown older, you can go back to work, earn a paycheck and even pursue further studies. But for now, enjoy your time with Zoe.  Believe me when you are old, you will treasure those precious time spent with her.

But I have to be honest with you.  Full time motherhood is not an easy journey. You will experience the temptation to work, you will envy the working women around you, you will get bored, you will get tired, you will have sleepless nights ,and you will feel miserable at times. You will also hear all sorts of comments of having wasted opportunities to earn money to achieve a more comfortable life. But when times like these come, remember your calling.  You are called by God to do the most noble job on earth – to shape the character of a child … your very own Zoe.

This is what I can say for now. Enjoy your time with Zoe.  Document them if you like, because they will never come again.

 

With much love,

 

Tita Haydee