Throughout college as I was writing papers on Ancient Near Eastern History and learning how to read the Bible in the original Hebrew (yeah - I was a double major - History and Biblical Studies and loved every minute of it), it was easy to feel like I was spending my time on extremely worthwhile things. 

After college, I worked full time and had dreams of getting my masters degree (I still do for that matter) and it was easy to feel like I was contributing to my family by bringing in an income when we really needed it. 

Now? My days are spent changing poopy diapers (which amounts to a LOT with three in diapers), the endless cycle of meal prep, cleaning dishes, putting up a new load of laundry, folding that laundry, putting it away and starting all these processes over and over again. 

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It's so easy to head to bed each night, feeling defeated, overwhelmed, and NOT looking forward to tomorrow. Somewhere along the line, it became easy to forget the importance of what I do. Somewhere amidst the poopy diapers and the mile high pile of dishes...it became easy to feel like nothing I do is of much consequence. 

I think a lot of us struggle with these feelings from time to time. But we don't want to voice them because then maybe it will look like we are not "good" mothers or "good" homemakers or we are not grateful for all that God gives. 

This week I got a question that really touched my heart. And I decided that I needed to address it, in two parts in fact. Here's what this sweet mama said, 

"Jami, I've really been struggling with something lately, and was hoping you'd have some advice for me. Lately, I've been so tired. Just tired of the everyday. I get up and feed the kids, then the baby, then do laundry, dishes, a bit of school work, change diapers, feed everyone lunch, and so on and so on. It feels like 80% of my time is spent dealing with feeding my family whether it's prep, cooking, eating with them, or cleaning up afterwards. I go to bed dreading the next day because I think "I have to get up in 7 hours just to do all this again". Seriously, I am missing the point here. I don't feel like I am doing important work, and when I consider the possibility that what I'm doing is important, I don't think I'm doing it right. I mean most days I'm lucky if I get any work done at all or the kids get a bath that night. Sometimes it's several days before they get another one. I know that's not super important but I think it get the point across a bit more. If this all makes sense, please help me see the point or bigger picture in all this drudgery!"

She posted this question in a private group of mine and within minutes, several other women were commenting "following" or "I struggle with this same thing!" You see - my friend struck a nerve. So many of us feel this all the time or in certain seasons and it can be easy to fell alone and lost in it. 

Next week I am going to address the first part of her question - the physical parts of working around the house, getting some momentum and inspiration, investing in yourself and more. But first, I knew I had to address the real root of the problem....

What to do when...

Your Work doesn't feel worthwhile or important! 

I know how debilitating it can be when we feel useless. We don't greet our day with joy or enthusiasm when it feels like nothing we do matters. It's easy to feel stuck and to dread the start of yet another un-meaningful day. 

So what do we do when we have these feelings?