The mom songs.

We've probably all heard them. You know, the mom is so busy....she really takes care of stuff around the house....chauffeurs kids around....she is my hero....three cheers for moms kind of songs. To my knowledge, it's usually country crooners singing the praises of momma tunes. Nice to acknowledge the lives of all the mothers out there who work hard for their loved ones.

This weekend, we were listening to a new CD we bought at church by musician named Danny Oertli. The fourth track began to play and there were those familiar "mom lyrics." Oh, how sweet. Here's another 'mom is special' jam. I asked, "Bob, are you listening? Moms are really cool, you know."

It wasn't that long ago
You were a girl all alone
There was no way to know
How soon you'd have kids of your own

Now you're the first one awake
The last one asleep
Cleaning and making your plans
And there are days when it feels
Like there's no time to pray
You wonder if God understands

The memory of leaves in the fall
Walking through canyons so tall
God was so close in it all
Now your chance to worship seems so small

You're the first one to taste
But the last one to eat
When everyone goes their own way
And it's your name that's called
In the deep of the night
One more hour of sleep floats away

Alright, yes, yes....all true about moms. Lovely. Great. Thank you for the kudos for momkind.
I'm thinking the chorus will be something like....hip hip hooray for mom. Kids go give your mom a big wet kiss and tell her how much you love her.
But that's not it at all. As I listen I'm so struck by the lyrics of the chorus I choke on my whole wheat with honey bagel and have to immediately run for the tissues to dry my eyes.

The chorus:

But if ever your worshipped it's now
If ever you kept your vow
You may not understand how
But if ever you worshipped it's now

Then, the final refrain:

Every shirt that you fold
Every nose that you blew
Is a gift to the Father above
Every lunch that is made
Every game that is played
Is an offering of love.

Words in written form do not do justice to the way music stirs the heart. Something rises up in us when we are moved by a melody and this song did precisely that for me. IF EVER YOU WORSHIPPED, IT'S NOW. IF EVER YOU KEPT YOUR VOW. YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND HOW, BUT IF EVER YOU WORSHIPPED IT'S NOW.
Not the usual, "hooray hooray mom makes my day" stuff.

It touched me because that is just what I passionately long to do....worship God. Daily perform my vows. Give Him an offering of love and sacrifice. Praise Him. Be changed by Him. Allow His love to flow through me.

It's not just about the kids. It's also about me, as a woman, a human being, a worshipper, fulfilling my purposes for the Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. This is how. This is an offering. If ever I worshipped, it's now. Through the chores, the correcting, the wiping, the laundry, the repetition of it all. If ever I worshipped it's now. If ever I kept my vow....it is now. When I sometimes feel like I have so little to give in the big scope of life because I'm too busy with menial tasks....if ever I worshipped it's now. When I'm scrubbing, polishing, playing, preparing, multi-tasking, if ever I worshipped it's now. I must allow myself to be encouraged by the fact that my work, which is truly never done, which I never really leave, is my offering to my God. Usually no one sees, but He does. Most often it will go unappreciated, but it's not about that. It's about me worshipping God with the work of my hands. Beautiful. Praise God for reminders like these that give me endurance and bring to mind that what I'm doing is for His service, no matter the outcome.

1 Chronicles 16:29
Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!