Sacrifice ~ By Paula Moldenhauer

"With great victory comes great sacrifice." 

I recently read something like this and the thought has played in my mind ever since.  I don't like to sacrifice, not on a large scale or a small scale - and there are a lot of sacrifices in motherhood.  Often it is my time I sacrifice.  I spend hours helping the children with schoolwork.  Almost every time I cook a meal I'd rather be doing something else.  And let's not even begin to count the hours spent sorting socks and folding underwear.

I've sacrificed a lot of sleep taking care of babies, tending to sick children, or listening to teenagers who suddenly grow interested in me (after ignoring me most of the day) just when I'm ready to go to bed.

Friendships. How many times have I said no to an outing with my friends because I needed to drive my children to a birthday or sleepover with theirs?

When I chose to be at home with my children, I also sacrificed lots of "stuff" - like new furniture, pretty decorating, and the latest gadgets. If my family had two salaries I'd be able to cook less and eat out more.  My car wouldn't have almost 200,000 miles on it, and I might even have the money to join a gym, shed a few pounds, and shop somewhere besides Wal-Mart, second hand stores, and clearance racks.

Creativity.  Even that often gets sacrificed in homemaking. I want to be creative in my writing but sometimes it is drowned out by the brainpower required to come up with meals every day, keep 6 peoples' schedules going with only two cars and 24 hours to work with, and answering the billion questions thrown at me by my four children.

Maybe these aren't great sacrifices, like giving my life for my faith, or selling everything and moving to a third world country to care for aids victims.

But maybe all those little sacrifices add up to something great.

And just maybe the sacrifices of motherhood will bring forth great victories in the lives of my children 'cause they had someone there to love, hold, teach, and care for them while they were growing up - someone who taught them to sacrifice in order to give to the things that were really important.

~ A home schooling mother of four, Paula Moldenhauer is passionate about God's grace and intimacy with Jesus.  Her website offers book reviews, home schooling hints, and a free weekly devotional, Soul Scents.  Subscribe to Soul Scents at www.soulscents.us. Visit her blog at www.gracereign.blogspot.com. Contact Paula@soulscents.us.