Last Sunday our church had a picnic. At the picnic there was a, “Professional Bull Rider.” How do I know that? The sleeve on his shirt said “Professional Bull Rider.” It was embroidered on the sleeve.
He wore a white cowboy hat, his professional bull rider shirt, jeans and boots.
He could have worn a plaid shirt to church, or maybe a green t-shirt, but he decided to wear the shirt that would tell people who he was.
If someone asked him, “What do you do?”
I think he would say, “I am a Professional Bull-Rider.”
Now I regret not talking to him. I can only guess what he would say.
If I asked you, “What do you do?”
What would you say?
Would you say, “I am a writer?” or “I am an artist.” Would you say, “I am a stay-at-home-mom?”
The biggest mistake you can ever make it to compare yourself to others. – Gideon
― Jacquelyn Frank, Adam
Sometimes I hesitate to say what I do. I will say I am a writer, but I don’t like to say I am a stay-at-home mom.
There are days when I feel like I am less-than because I don’t work outside of the home. I don’t bring home a pay-check. My value feels tied to a dollar sign.
I know I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Proverbs tells me. But there are days when I struggle to believe it.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14
My value needs to be in how God sees me, and not in how the magazines say I have value. The magazines say I am valuable if I am thin, have no gray hair, am young and have a job.
I wonder how much it would cost to embroider on the sleeve of my shirt, “Stay-at-Home-Mom?” And at the next church picnic I will swagger through the crowd wearing my, “Stay-at-Home- Mom” shirt.
When you fill out a form at the doctor’s office, what do you write on the line that says, “What do you do?”
Whatever you do, say it with pride, like the Bull-Rider did.
You have value. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
What do you do?
Please tell me in the comments. I would love to chat.