The Dog Days of Parenting

Today I walked my dog, changed numerous dirty diapers, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, picked up the playroom, cooked 3 meals plus snacks, put in a load of laundry, noticed how dirty my bathroom was, survived an hour and a half long grocery shopping trip with my toddler, took my toddler to a meeting at church during his nap-time (not a good idea), played trucks, baseball, golf, hide and seek numerous times, picked up the playroom again, gave lots of kisses and hugs, walked my dog 2 more times, picked up dog poop, gave my child 2 baths in a row (poop in the tub makes first bath pointless) put my child to bed, folded the load of laundry, and then finally slumped on the couch with my bowl of pasta and red wine.

In other words, today was a busy day. Today, mothering took over and there was not much room for anything else. Today, my conversations with God consisted of a lot of “please God give me patience, energy, etc”. Today was so crazy I do not feel like anything significant happened and I cannot imagine how God used me in any way other than loving my son (and dog).

The truth is; God is with us throughout every task in our day. He desires and is able to work through us no matter if we are picking up dog poop or playing baseball with our kids. We might not be able to see how God is working in our lives because the days are so hectic or because they feel so mundane, but if we are seeking God with our whole heart and are faithful to Him, he will be at work in our lives.  

I love the story of Ruth because it shows how God rewards those who are faithful to him. Although Ruth and Naomi’s life had been turned upside down and they had been left with nothing, they stayed faithful to God. Naomi lost her husband, both her son’s, and was left with nothing. Ruth, Naomi’s daughter in-law, lost her husband. She could have been remarried but instead stayed faithful to Naomi and traveled to Bethlehem with her. In Ruth 1:16 Ruth said to Naomi “Don’t urge me to leave you or turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”. Naomi and Ruth had no food or shelter so Ruth went to search for food by gleaning in a field next to servant girls. It was in that field that she met Boaz, the man who would soon be her husband and who would bring Naomi and Ruth out of poverty and into a flourishing life. God was at work in Ruth’s life in ways that she could not see during her time here on earth. Ruth eventually became a great-grandmother to King David and a direct ancestor to Jesus! Wow!

God was with Ruth every step of the way and was working in her life in ways she was not able to see at the time. She was faithful to God and to her family and God blessed her! While Ruth was busy gleaning, picking through left over crops after the servants, she met Boaz. Do you think she had any idea that while she was starving and searching for food she would meet her future husband whose children are in the direct line of ancestry to Jesus? There is no way she knew that would happen nor was she thinking about it.

Just like how God worked through Ruth while doing a mundane, need-to-survive task, He can and does work through us in our daily tasks. As we go about our day, whether crazy busy or mundane and boring, God is working in our lives. When we are faithful to God he will bless us in ways we cannot even imagine. “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 28:20).  Just because I have a crazy busy day filled with picking up toys, walking my dog, changing dirty diapers, and endless dishes to clean, it does not mean that I have to close the door on what God can do in my day. God is everywhere, and if we keep our Faith and our eyes open we will see Him. 

God, thank you for working in our lives even when we do not see you. We want to serve and glorify you in all that we do. Nothing that we do in our lives is small to you. We love you so much and seek to be more like you everyday. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.