Becky Kopitzke

Devotions for Moms

  • Lifestyle & Faith
    • Blog
    • Resource Library
  • Books
  • Speaking
  • Writer Coaching
  • Shop
    • Cart
    • Amazon Favorites

Oh But I Used to Work in Marketing

February 3, 2014

“So what do you do?” The dreaded question. It comes at me from all angles—at my husband’s office party, the dental hygienist, in the parent seats at swimming lessons. This time it was an old college chum. We ran into each other at a local concert and, naturally, he was curious to know what I’d made of myself in the last 15 years.

So I told him.

“I stay home with my kids,” I answered. Then, after a half second pause, I added, “And I’m a freelance writer.”

In other words, “I’ve chosen to stay home to raise my precious children . . . but I do still have a brain, just so you know.”

Oh but I used to work in marketing

I’m sure I am not the only mom who does this. I hear it from my friends, too.

“Oh, I’m home with my kids now—but I used to work in finance.”

“I homeschool my kids—but I taught high school math for ten years before that.”

“I left a good job in nursing in order to be a stay-at-home mom. I don’t regret it, of course.”

Why do we do that?

Because we’re desperate for people to believe we can do more, that we ARE more than just this—this child-rearing, laundry-sorting, jelly-spreading life. We’re chest-deep in homework and play practice and potty training, and we wonder if the rest of the world values this carpool and crackers lifestyle, this unglamorous existence for which we traded all our worldly potential.

But I have to ask. Why do we care? Let’s not forget God’s measure of a successful woman is quite different from the modern yard stick.

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised,” (Proverbs 31:26–30).

That Proverbs 31 woman was one busy chick. She got up early to make breakfast for her household. She spun wool with her own fingers and sewed it into clothes and quilts. This lady ran a trading business on the side and managed her money well. She’s strong and smart and nothing but kind and respectful to her husband—seriously?!? She was the classic super mom! Darn her.

And yet, what does God really value most about her in the end?

She is a woman who fears the Lord.

We all have the opportunity to do that—to make faith in God our top priority—whether we’re stay-at-home moms, working moms, or anywhere in between.

So let me help you see your job with new eyes today.

If you can balance a grocery budget on one income, you still work in finance.

If you can read books to a wiggly three-year-old and instruct a first-grader not to pick her nose in public, then you are still a teacher.

If you wash skinned knees and hold a child’s barf bucket at midnight, you are still a skilled and compassionate nurse.

If you can convince a toddler to swallow a cooked vegetable, you still have a knack for advertising.

If you sing lullabies to calm colic and soothe a babe to sleep, then your work is as meaningful as any stage musician’s.

And if you pray, trust God, and give this crazy mom life up to His greater plan, then you, my dear, are a woman worthy of praise.

So. The next time somebody asks you, what do you do?—tell them this.

I fear the Lord. Do you?

Blessings,
Becky

Become a Patron!
  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Growing Pains, Homemaking, Household, Identity, New Moms, Parenting, Personal Growth & Faith, Priorities, Raising Young Kids, School Years, Sentimental, True Beauty Tagged With: christian parenting, contentment, devotion, devotional, faith, family, housework, identity, identity in Christ, living in the moment, mom guilt, motherhood, nurturing kids, parenting, stay at home moms, success, true success, work from home moms

Comments

  1. Tami Cross says

    February 3, 2014 at 6:10 pm

    Oh my gosh, Becky, you are definitely a wise woman. I love your writing style, and God has certainly blessed you. My daughter is a stay-at-home mom after getting her teaching degree. I’ll be forwarding this to her. Thank you for the great reminder of who we are as women!

    • Becky says

      February 3, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      I would love to connect with Ariel, Tami! We moms need to stick together. It’s so fun to hear from you here!

  2. Monica says

    February 3, 2014 at 11:52 pm

    Your writing is absolutely phenomenal. Great post, Becky.

    • Becky says

      February 4, 2014 at 3:44 am

      You are too generous, Monica. I appreciate you, my fellow writing friend!

  3. Stacy says

    February 4, 2014 at 3:41 am

    Love, love, love, love this post. Thank you! I have been home with my daughter one year now and sometimes you just need a reminder of the value in this work, too. Thank you!

    • Becky says

      February 4, 2014 at 3:45 am

      What you do MATTERS greatly, Stacy! Blessings to you and your family!

  4. Erin says

    February 4, 2014 at 2:32 pm

    Thanks so much for your wisdom! This was exactly the encouragement that I needed on this typical, hectic morning! I am so thankful for how God is using you and your ministry!

    • Becky says

      February 5, 2014 at 2:51 am

      And I’m thankful for your kind encouragement, Erin!

  5. Shell says

    February 5, 2014 at 11:47 am

    I’m guilty of doing this, too. What I used to do before kids. But being home with my kids isn’t anything to be ashamed of, I’m really quite lucky to be able to have been home with them.

    • Becky says

      February 7, 2014 at 2:56 am

      So true, Shell. Staying home is a blessing for sure.

  6. MJ says

    February 5, 2014 at 1:59 pm

    I love this! I feel the same way. I start way too many sentences with “I used to…” It should be more than enough to stay home with my kids. I read somewhere that if stay at home moms got paid for the hours we work and the skill we had to possess we would make well over $100,000 per year. So there’s that.

    • Becky says

      February 7, 2014 at 2:58 am

      Funny, I get paid mostly in kisses and leftover Cheetos. It’s a beautiful life. 🙂

  7. Julia says

    February 5, 2014 at 6:17 pm

    Oh I do this all the time, and I hate myself for it. Why can’t we just be proud of our choices.

    • Becky says

      February 7, 2014 at 2:59 am

      I think we are proud of our choices… we just fear the people who aren’t. Silly, isn’t it? Thanks for reading, Julia!

  8. Beth says

    February 6, 2014 at 2:45 am

    I don’t know that I’ve heard the Proverbs 31 Woman’s life summed up in quite such an eloquent and succinct way, Becky. “She’s a woman who fears the Lord!” Now, that I can do! All the other stuff, well, it’s icing on the cake … Cake that you so beautifully served up to inspire us–the advertisers, the teachers, the nurses, etc. So happy to be His hands and feet in so many ways as moms and wives.:)

    • Becky says

      February 7, 2014 at 3:01 am

      Yes, Beth, I love that thought – we are His hands and feet. And we are blessed!

  9. Amy @ {Life to the Full} says

    February 7, 2014 at 2:44 am

    Wow, wow, wow. What a beautiful yet convicting post! I have been a SAHM for 6 months now and still hang on to my “But I used to work in Marketing” line 😉 I stay at home with my son and do freelance on the side, I say. It’s true, really, but staying at home will ALWAYS take priority over my side job.

    After cooking for my husband and son, cleaning up the house, doing laundry, and baking new treats, heck I don’t even want to design! What an adventure staying-at-home has been so far… it’s rewarding beyond belief 🙂

    Thank you for sharing this beautiful post!

    • Becky says

      February 7, 2014 at 3:04 am

      Welcome to the SAHM adventure, Amy! I agree, it’s rewarding and challenging and valuable above all. My kids teach me something new every day. Thank you so much for reading and sharing your thoughts!

  10. Lisa Littlewood says

    February 11, 2014 at 4:49 pm

    This is a fabulous post!! I agree with the other comments…you have such a knack for putting the daily life, and the mommy challenges into a completely relatable way. And always with an encouraging twist. Love your posts! And I’ve said the VERY same thing on many occasions…”I’m a um…mom…and a…um…freelance writer… sort of…when I’m not completely overwhelmed by motherhood!”

  11. Amy Clark Scheren @ Gospel Homemaking says

    February 12, 2014 at 12:01 pm

    Love this! Thank you so much for the reminder of who I really am and what God actually expects of me. This was full of lovely Truth!

    Thanks for linking up to Thrive @ Home Thursday!

    • Becky says

      February 12, 2014 at 12:10 pm

      Thanks for hosting the link-up, Amy! Good to see you here!

  12. Lauren says

    October 23, 2014 at 6:13 pm

    I LOVE THIS! I am definitely guilty of saying “I’m a stay at home mom, BUT” and I didn’t even realize I was doing this. I love your perspective. Thanks for sharing God’s word 🙂

    • Becky says

      October 23, 2014 at 7:22 pm

      Yay, Lauren! You are a stay-at-home mom, AND – that’s enough! Blessings!

  13. Charanya says

    May 19, 2015 at 8:25 pm

    Wow… Incredible… That’s one amazing article with pure simple truth that we always find so difficult to realize…
    All I know is from now on I am never going to finish my introductions with “I used to be..” .. I know what I am now … Blessed…

    • Becky says

      May 19, 2015 at 8:37 pm

      Amen, Charanya. Blessed indeed!

Trackbacks

  1. Nobody Notices When I Sweep the Floor says:
    July 28, 2014 at 3:55 am

    […] from the archives. You might also like and Oh But I Used to Work in Marketing, On Dreams, Contentment and Spaghetti, and Why I Stopped Folding My […]

  2. The Problem With Women's Lib says:
    October 27, 2014 at 3:33 am

    […] this post encouraged you, please share it. You might also like Oh But I Used to Work in Marketing, When Mom Wears a Dress, and When You Don’t Feel Like Doing Your […]

  3. Why I Have to Stop Whining When My Husband Goes Hunting says:
    October 31, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    […] If this post encouraged you, I’d be blessed if you’d share it. You might also like Moms Grow Up, Too; He Called Me Beautiful, So I Cleaned the Basement; and Oh But I Used to Work in Marketing. […]

  4. Moms, You Are Beautiful Inside and Out | Encouragement for Mothers Everywhere says:
    November 10, 2014 at 9:34 pm

    […] tired, lovely, hard-working, cranky mom there in the living room or the carpool line or the parent bleachers at gymnastics […]

FREE Guide to Sibling Harmony

FREE Guide to Sibling Harmony!

20 Questions and Activities to Help Your Kids Get Along

Yes, I want in!

Meet Becky.

If you love your kids but you sometimes forget to feed them lunch, if you're crazy about your husband but some days you want to set his hunting gear on fire, and if you adore Jesus with your whole heart yet you mess up time and time again, then you and I are friends already.

We need each other. I'm so glad you're here.

Subscribe to Me on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoyavx3CZvM

Follow me on Instagram

Follow on Instagram

Follow me on Pinterest

Visit Becky Kopitzke's profile on Pinterest.

Hi there.

Need some wisdom and encouragement?
Check out my free resource library.

Yes, Please!
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Speaking
Copyright ©2023, Becky Kopitzke. All Rights Reserved. Custom design by Pixel Me Designs