To be an intentional mama is to be balanced and purposeful--

Balanced between confidence and an open mind.

Present in the moment with your children, yet preparing for the future.

Bringing joy and peace to your home in the midst of momentary messes and conflicts.

Finding delight in your husband, offering grace and support.

(Remembering that children crave family unity more than we realize.)

Seeking God and His desires above our own.

*****

If this seems laughably idealistic in the face of your daily tasks, make tomorrow different:

Rise with your husband in the morning. Share a smile over coffee. Listen to the voices of your children and hear their concerns. Examine something wonderful with them. Go outside and marvel at creation. Laugh, and let your concerns slip away.

Above all, recall the many, many women who have gone before you. They have shaped the world with their hands and through their children, and it is an honor to be chosen as they were. You, too, are beautiful, and your work is a masterpiece.

Trust God, and embrace this life.

The Child's Bath by Mary Cassatt — *The Child's Bath* by Mary Cassatt