The Apostle Paul's Advice on Being a Mom

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." A lot of Christ-followers quote this verse from the Bible and use it as a source of encouragement to get through a tough time that they may be having. The cool thing to look at are the verses written before this one. In verses 11-12, Paul, the writer, begins talking about how he has learned to be content in any living situation; to live on almost nothing or with everything. I like how the New Living Translation of the Bible says it, "(12)...I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. (13) I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."

This has been on my mind this week. Learning to be content in any situation, any circumstance. Boy, am I still learning. Before having kids, I thought I am going to love being home with my kids. I don't know how someone would not want to be a stay-at-home mom...I know that there are situations where a mom wants to stay at home, but has to work to take care of her family. And now I understand why a mom would want to go back to work. Some days I think I would fit in better at a mental institute than I do in my house. :)
Also, I think about where I am now. Staying home with sick babies. It would be easy to feel left out of the fun. Sometimes I think that we don't get invited to do stuff because people just think they can't come anyways, they have kids. It's tough sometimes. It's hard to live in the present where there's nothing really but poopy diapers and runny noses and crying, clinging babies. I know that 10 years from now we will be able to go anywhere we want with our kids. That's just not happening now.
And then I think about moms who have kids who are grown and are on their own. Sure, they can do whatever they want whenever they want. But for some of these moms, they long for the days where they held a sick baby for hours. Where they were the center of their child(ren)'s universe.
I guess I'm a little stuck on the seasons thing. But that is what Paul was talking about...being content in any situation...in any season...That's what he could do with the strength that only Jesus could give him. Being content as a mom requires the same strength from Jesus to me.