I am the Mamma....

of many.

I have given birth once but everyone looks up to me as a mamma. To look at me you'd never think I am as domestic as I am but I am. It comes naturally for me. You know that for some women/mothers it takes work to love and enjoy the home and taking care of little ones. I know quite a few women who proclaim that they shouldn't have been mothers. That they just don't feel it. But that's how God is. He takes us in our weaknesses and pushes us through to be strong. I sometimes think He allows us to walk paths that we naturally shouldn't or couldn't walk. To show His glory. To prove to us (as if He had to) that He is able and capable and wanting to.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (New International Version)

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I have friends who in a million years I couldn't imagine their life being the way it is. God transforms our lives into things we hadn't planned. I always wanted to be a stay at home mom and I VERY much enjoyed being in the home being a mamma and keeping a home. But left there, in my strength what can God do? It is easy for me to do those things. God wants us growing and strengthening. If He let us all have the easy route we wouldn't need Him much. He gives me tasks and a life that is difficult and I love Him more for it. Because of that I am able to see His strength and what He does.

The Lord has me in this place, a place of single motherness working hard and living solely in God's provision. Some of my friends who shouldn't even be mothers are living the roles of stay-at-home-mom. It baffles me how God works. Then again maybe He does give people the life with their strengths because He knows they won't stray. Maybe He only has to give us lallygaggers lives of indifference.

Even my own mom didn't really want children. She was a hippie artist who wanted to travel the country in a van. She had 4 kids. It was hard for her. And still is. God allows our lives to have hardship so that we do not fall idle with His fellowship.

Having said all that, back to my mamma-ness. The "chickens" as I call them consist of the following:

^Sassy. No guessing here. I gave birth to her.

^T-mac. Sassy's 1/2 brother. I raised him from the age of 18 months. He is now an orphan. No parents.

^My little brother Miah. We are 17 years apart. I watched my mom give birth to him which I believe created the close bond we have and have always had.

^Ike. My nephew. Who lives around the corner. I helped take care of him for 2 years when he was young as his mother was unable. He's like my little baby boy and sometimes calls me mommy.

^Oh doesn't Sassy look so happy. Bahhahahha.

I am getting to something here. The one thing that all of my chickens have in common is that they

1. love me.

2. love each other.

3. have no fathers.

4. have been fully cared for by me at some time in their life.

Of course my little brother and I both lost our dad and Sassy and T-mac both lost their dad at the same time. Ike's dad is in Iraq but if he were home he wouldn't see him. So all 5 of us are without fathers. All of the chickens have caregivers or moms who aren't the "stay-at-home" type. So when they are with me we really get into some domestic stuff. Here's a list of some of the things we do together.

Cook & Bake

Crafts

Travel

Watch movies

Play boardgames

Take walks and bike rides

Build forts.

Have "conversation" sessions

Play.

Now at any given time if I am laying down on the couch watching a movie one or all 4 of the chickens are laying with me or on me or around me. They love me very much and I am grateful for that love. I know God has made this be. He gave the chickens a place that they can come to and spend weeks if they want and feel at home. I travel with the chickens. An opportunity that they would not have otherwise. I take them to plays and shows and things they wouldn't have otherwise seen.

I know my role and how God is using me and I let Him do the work. I take them to church and talk to them about Christ. Luckily they are all from Christian homes. Last night when I had all four chickens in my home and I watch them play in the back yard like little toddlers I know how blessed I am. Because these children are 10-13 years old yet when comfortable they act like little children. Sometimes I get mad at their mothers/caregivers because they don't do things like I do but overall I will count my blessings that God has given me a brood full of children in such a unique way.