“A Velveteen Mother — made Real by the years — the way grace can happen to you. And not all at once — but you become. And grace becomes you.
To be just a Velveteen Mother: worn and weathered down to the exquisite beauty of the frame of the Cross.” ~ A.V. from this post at (in)courage. 
I can’t get this out of my head. I’ve cried over this today. First of all, I cry every time I read the Velveteen Rabbit, so there’s that. But mostly, I am overwhelmed lately by the tasks that must be repeated again and again. The dishes. Cleaning the basement, playroom, craft studio over and over. And over. In one day. Getting J a snack while I answer the one millionth question of the day. (That poor girl is just like me). It’s hard to worship God in the mundane. And sometimes (alright, alright, most times), on top of the repetition, I am defeated by my sin. I don’t acknowledge the grace happening.
And then I have a moment like today, in the midst of the mundane (this time it was cleaning the black hole of our bedroom). I think maybe, just maybe, this wearing down, this rubbing, is my path to the cross today. And when I arrive, my burden is lighter, my soul is at peace. And I am grateful for the journey.
“28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
~M.
P.S. There is so much more she wrote – and so much better than me – about the loving, the hurting, of being a mother. This is a small piece that resonated with me today but the whole is heart wrenching and lovely. I am closer to the beginning of my motherhood journey than the end. I am still learning to recognize the exquisite beauty of it, and how to share it with others. I would urge you to read her post. For those that missed the embedded link at the top, here it is again.
http://www.incourage.me/2011/10/tiger-mothers-or-the-making-of-velveteen-mothers.html.
