Motherhood: Reaching Divinity

To the Mother of my children:

A few years ago we attended a social event together.  During the event we met and talked with many different couples and in the course of our conversations the question "What do you do"? frequently came up.  Many of the women had expressed to us impressive career or educational achievements which I found out from later conversations left you feeling inferior as you answered, "I'm a stay at home mom".

I'm grateful we live in a time where society encourages women to contribute more than ever before!  However, I fear that somehow whether, lost in translation, or completely left out, society has forgotten that of all the contributions that women can make, motherhood excellest them all (Proverbs 31:29).  I have spent a significant portion of my life striving for educational and professional milestones which have been a source of security and blessings to our family, but the work I do pales in significance to the work you do, for the work you are engaged in is divine!

When I watch you with our children these questions I heard not long ago come to mind:

"How is it that a human being can love a child so deeply that you willingly give up a major portion of your freedom for it? How can mortal love be so strong that you voluntarily subject yourself to responsibility, vulnerability, anxiety, and heartache and just keep coming back for more of the same? What kind of mortal love can make you feel, once you have a child, that your life is never, ever your own again? Maternal love has to be divine. There is no other explanation for it. What mothers do is an essential element of Christ’s work. Knowing that should be enough to tell us the impact of such love will range between unbearable and transcendent, over and over again, until with the safety and salvation of the very last child on earth, we can [then] say with Jesus, ‘[Father!] I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." - Jeffrey R. Holland

I sometimes look at the small world you have created for our children and smile at how beautiful you have made it for them.  You have given our children the most important thing they will ever take with them in this life, the love of their mother!

As the years have passed I see now the confidence in your response to that question we were repeatedly asked during that social event many years ago.  The work you are engaged in has brought beauty, wisdom, virtue, glory and honor upon your countenance.  Surely your children and husband will call you blessed because many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all!

I love you and hope today and every day you feel God's gratitude for your service to Him as a Mother, because you certainly have mine!

Love,

The Father of your children