Mother, Give God His Job Back

I have always heard the mother is the heart of the family, especially a stay-at-home mother with a crew of kids, who also helps with a hobby farm. So why was I not missed when I spent hours locked in the chicken coop?

You must first understand that even if this was a subconscious belief, I behaved as if I were the most important member of the family. It took a drastic experience to shake me out of my arrogance. Ten years ago on a very cold winter day, I decided to go with my husband to the barn. We divided up the chores and rushed to finish them as quickly as possible because the wind was fierce. My last task was to water, feed, and gather eggs from our laying hens. Michael passed in the bucket of water, then, out of sheer habit, he silently locked the door to the chicken coop and proceeded to plow through the heavy snow and into our warm house. I was lingering with the chickens, scattering extra corn and grain to help the chickens keep warm. I attempted to leave, but the door was securely bolted from the outside. I yelled for my husband but he was long gone and the house was too far away for him to hear me. Soon I began to stamp my feet in a vain attempt to generate a little heat.

As I became even more chilled, I stuck my whole head down into Michael’s huge coat like a turtle hiding in her shell. My breath started to warm up my body. I must have looked like some strange headless man. It was extremely boring in the coop, so I sang songs, much to the chickens’ displeasure. Just as I was starting to despair, Michael flung the door open and asked, “What on earth are you doing out here?” I poked my head out from inside his coat and yelled, “I didn’t choose to hang out with the chickens, you know; you locked me in here!” Michael had been so absorbed in his work he really did not notice I wasn’t in our home until he could not find me anywhere in the house to take a phone call. thankfully I was home before the kids got off the school bus, but ... Guess what? Although I am the heart of the family I am not the center, nor the most important member. A family is a community whose center is Christ Himself.