I’ve always disliked feminists. One reason was that many of the ones I came in contact with were actually not just dealing with inequalities but were doing so at the expense of men. Doing this demonstrates weakness and insecurity, in my opinion. I always felt that women who think they can do everything without men were simply acting foolishly. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate strong women that show independence and strength — some of my strongest attractions to my wife! But in the end, I’ve always felt that men and women both need each other the same thus God made both to be helps meet for each other.

There have been, however, two major “discoveries” in my life that have elevated my respect for certain women: (1) Having children and (2) Mothers in the home. When I think of the most incredible people in the world, I realize that none can top good mothers. And it is sad that some think of such an honorable responsibility as a disadvantage. But women who are real mothers demonstrate eternal characteristics of honor, dignity, and godliness that are so difficult to attain.

1. Selflessness: Giving up nine months out of their lives to endure trial for the sake of the life within them
2. Discipline: Continuing on with child in them for the necessary amount of time without aborting the child
3. Endurance: Going through inexpressible pain until the baby comes out — sometimes exceeding more than 24 hrs!
4. Love: At the end of it all, they’re not upset at the child????? And they care for it forever???

For sure, mothers deserve a large yearly salary. And them not getting it makes their decision to work without the compensation reminds us of only One other that has made a larger sacrifice.

Check this article out from CNN.com

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) — If a stay-at-home mom could be compensated in dollars rather than personal satisfaction and unconditional love, she’d rake in a nifty sum of nearly $117,000 a year.

At-home moms reported working an average of 94.4 hours per week, said the survey.

That’s according to a pre-Mother’s Day study released in May by Salary.com, a Waltham, Massachusetts-based firm that studies workplace compensation.

The eighth annual survey calculated a mom’s market value by studying pay levels for 10 job titles with duties that a typical mom performs, ranging from housekeeper and day care center teacher to van driver, psychologist and chief executive officer.

This year, the annual salary for a stay-at-home mom would be $116,805, while a working mom who also juggles an outside job would get $68,405 for her motherly duties.

One stay-at-home mom said the six-figure salary sounds a little low.

“I think a lot of people think we sit at home and have a lot of fun and don’t do a lot of work,” said Samantha Russell, a Fremont, New Hampshire, mother who left her job as pastry chef to raise two boys, ages 2 and 4. “But they should try cleaning their house with little kids running around and messing it up right after them.”

The biggest driver of a mom’s theoretical salary is the amount of overtime pay she’d receive for working more than 40 hours a week. The 18,000 moms surveyed about their typical week reported working 94.4 hours — meaning they’d be spending more than half their working hours on overtime.

Working moms reported an average 54.6 hour “mom work week” besides the hours they spent at paying jobs.

Russell agreed her job as a stay-at-home mom is more than full-time. But she said her “job” brings intangible benefits she wouldn’t enjoy in the workplace.

“The rewards aren’t monetary, but it’s a reward knowing that they’re safe and happy,” Russell said of her sons. “It’s worth it all.”

Since I missed my opportunity to thank Judy for being such a great mother during Mother’s Day, I thought it’s always better late, than never. Because in addition to the above expressed responsibilities (in the article), Judy is also a language teacher (Korean and Spanish), a coach (baseball, basketball, and soccer), a work education instructor (gardening: the ABCs of EDU), a music teacher (Instrumental and Vocal), (and more) she could easily make more than 200k!

Hope you take a moment to thank God for all that the special mothers in your life have done for you! The more I experience, the more I realize that none but Christ is set up to even be able to give more.

– IR