The other day my husband showed up with a sports car that was worth almost as much as my house! He smiled and said, “jump in, lets go for a ride.” Had I not known what was going on, I would have been worried that my husband was going through a mid-life crisis and had taken out a second mortgage on the house to live out some fantasy. Fortunately, I knew that he was given the opportunity from his company to test-drive it for a night as part of a program to ensure all systems were operating perfectly before releasing it for sale to the general public. I can’t tell you how cool it was to have a car that my husband had been working on for years, that was just featured at the Detroit Auto Show, sitting in my driveway! As a mother of seven children, I can honestly say the thought of owning a sports car has never crossed my mind, until we took off and I experienced the rush of hitting 60 mph in less time than I knew was even possible. I thought, “I could get used to this!”

IMG_20160222_173100582 Copyright 2016 Emily Jaminet. All rights reserved.

As we drove down the highway listening to music and enjoying the experience I began to see all the stares and excited looks from other drivers and I could imagine what they were thinking. I looked at my husband and said lightheartedly, “Wow, we actually look like we own this masterpiece on wheels!”

The idea of owning a sports car is pretty clearly not a reality for us. Sure, anything is possible with God but the fact is, that car is designed for two people and would not be practical for our large family! As a mother, I have come to realize that my real masterpieces have two legs and are my walking blessings, which will ultimately cost more than this car!

Let’s be honest, raising children can really stretch our pocketbooks, so as parents most of our purchases have to be viewed in light of what makes sense for our family. It can be fun to take a minute to daydream about what life would look like without children, and it is tempting to think that materialism can bring us happiness- the cars, vacations, and things we could have if we were childless. But would a sports car or an object bring me as much joy as my infant or as much satisfaction as seeing my sons become men? The truth is, the stretching of my heart that I experience as a parent is far more important than that of my pocketbook.

When we gain a real perspective that we are blessed to be mothers we can begin to see that our children are on loan to us from God the Father and that any sacrifices we make on their behalves are a gift to God. Someday we hope to hear the powerful words found in Mathew 25:23: “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your Master’s joy'.”

Let us keep our sights on heaven and enjoy the “ride” God has provided for us. We must remember our real blessing is these living and breathing treasures! So the next time you are tempted with the “give-me's,” ask the Holy Spirit to give you a heavenly perspective on what matters most!

Copyright 2016 Emily Jaminet