Just when you think it's not worth it...

I'd been having one of those weeks.

You fellow moms know what I'm talking about... The weeks when nothing you do as a mom seems to be right. You're back dealing with that same discipline issue you thought had been conquered last month! You wonder if you really are impacting your children. Or maybe the world would be better off you just went back to that career you left behind. You question if you are really making a difference. Wondering if you are raising children that will impact their world for the better.

As I usually do when I begin internalizing my life, I cleaned my kitchen. If you walk into my house and the kitchen is spotless, it's not a good sign...

Caleb was napping. Daniel was playing at his train table. I'm sure I'd just yelled at him and he was staying away! I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher. Set it to run. Scrubbed the guards under my stove burners. Used my fingernails to scrape the gunk off the back of Caleb's highchair (don't ask what it was or how it got there!). Wiped off counters. Disinfected the trashcan. Swept and mopped the floor. Just as I was finishing, Daniel walked into the kitchen.

His eyes got wide and in a tone full of pure, innocent, glee said, "Oh, Mommy! Thank you for making the kitchen all clean!"

I burst into tears. Thank you God for sending my three-year-old boy to encourage my heart so. It is worth it and God is allowing me to impact these precious lives!