true value and worth

When I was pregnant with our first child, I had already made the decision to stay at home, giving up my teaching position at a nearby Christian school. This is what I wanted, what I dreamed of doing: being a stay-at-home mommy.

Turns out it was more difficult than I thought it would be. For many reasons. But I was reminded of one reason in particular while I was having a conversation with a friend earlier today. 

There came a point in the first few months after having our baby girl, where I felt my worth had dissipated. I has been a contributing member of our family, working and bringing in an income to pay bills and buy groceries and all that good stuff. But being at home with a baby, I didn't bring in anything to support our family.

I struggled with this for many months. I was bustling around our home, being mom and wife amd a homemaker, but I struggled to find my value. When I finally confided the depths of these feelings to my husband, he made my value and worth very clear to me.

Essentially he told me that if he could put a monetary value on everything I did for our family, he wouldn't be able to afford me with his paycheck. I should earn more than that! But you can't (even though some have tried) put a monetary value on being a mom.

I was so used to seeing my contributions to the family in the form of money that I failed to see my value outside of that. My worth is so much bigger than that! 

I am a wife. 

I am a mother.

I take care of the family God gave me.

These make me valuable.

Everything else that I do in my life is secondary.

KC