Babies Don't Keep

If there ever was a mantra, a mama-motto, a prayer for my mama-hood... Babies Don't Keep would be it.  Maybe it is because I am an older mama (I had my first at 34 and am now in my 40's) and I realize that I will never have "all the stuff" done and my home will never be perfectly clean. Maybe it is because I have older nephews and nieces that I marveled at when they were young and had woken from a nap changed and grown, somehow. Maybe it is because I come from a large family or that I have three babies of my own.  Whatever the reason...

Babies Don't Keep...they simply don't. 

Mrs Ruth Hulbert Hamilton must of been some kinda mama, a woman that I wish I could of met in her mothering, a mama I am sure that I could have learned from.  This affectionate poem that I know as Babies Don't Keep is actually titled Song for a Fifth Child. Mrs Hamilton recognized the beauty in the moment, the sacred of motherhood and reminds us all that time is fleeting and the stuff of life can wait but time with our babies cannot.

There are days when I have piles of washing, lots of cleaning to do, dinner to be made, shopping to be done and on and on. Those days when I start to get overwhelmed at the demands of my life, my day...I stop and I remember that babies don't keep.



This remember-ing effects my days, my mothering, my house, the way I homeschool..all.of.it.  Somedays are messier than others, somedays we don't do much more than lots of hold-you, book reading on Mama's lap and just the basics of homeschool. Other days it seems like I can get it "all" done.

We (mama...you and I), we have to be easy on ourselves. give grace to ourselves (and accept that grace because our Creator gives grace abundantly) and change our perspective to see the holy, the sacred in our days, in our mama-ing.  Isaiah 40:11 tells us, He tends to his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.  I am one of those that He gently leads. There are days that I need that gentle leading more than others (I am so grateful that it is gentle). I remember a time when I was pregnant with my third and I was tired, my two boys were carrying on like boys do and there were messes to clean and dinner to cook and calls to return...and I couldn't take the noise or really anything any longer.  I went to the tiny hall bathroom and closed the door; with tears streaming down my face I called out to my Creator, my Shepherd and reminded Him of this verse....and asked Him to gently lead me. To give me wisdom for my days and fill me with His peace. He did. When I stepped out of that bathroom I had a peace in my heart and new perspective on my day, on the noise, the messes, the things left undone. Those things could wait, it would be ok, it would all get done. My boys however needed me, they needed their mama to sit and read a story, to build blocks, to have a hold-you and that needing, this mama-ing it is the sacred.

These three, my babies...they are growing too fast and I am grateful for the wisdom in the perspective that babies don't keep. Grateful to recognize the sacred in my days and most of all grateful for my Shepherd who not only holds my little ones close to His heart; He gently leads me as well. 

Do you have a "where you are at in life" mantra, motto, prayer or scripture? I'd love to hear it about it, please leave me a post in the comments!

Joining Tuesday Talk with Stephanie.