What's a Mom Worth

Recently our church's youth pastor blogged on a Mother's Worth, based on a recent study that came out and placed the salary of a mom at "$131,471 annually, including overtime, if she received a paycheck."

So I did some research and you can calculate you salary at this website:
http://swz.salary.com/momsalarywizard/htmls/mswl_momcenter.html

But really it is not in the money we do or don't get it. Our reward as moms is not even in being appreciated (and if you have only little ones you don't get much of that). It is the simple things, brothers & sisters enjoying each other, watching your little one work so hard at something and accomplish it, hearing that great big belly laugh, these are the things that make our job worth while. The most important reward is the faith that one day we will see our children praising the God who made them, loving their Savior and enjoying fellowship in His Church.

I can so often get caught up in the things that I want to get done (bathrooms cleaned, house organized) that I forget what I am mothering for. I'm not mothering to make my house look like no children live there or because I'm going to get some great big paycheck (neither of these things are likely to happen). I'm mothering because God has called me to the task and it is a delight to serve my family for Him. I hope that I can remember this daily, moment by moment. It is not easy but it is worth it.