From Danielle

The blog has been on a bit of a hiatus as I work to complete my next book. While I’m working away, I’ve got another fabulous working woman who is sharing her take on raising her children while she works full time outside the home.

My dear friend, Sarah King is an incredible mom of two and a respected boss at a large corporation in New York City. I have always greatly respected her as well, which is why I asked her to share her heart with my readers today. Last fall, another wonderful woman wrote about the joys and demands of being a stay at home mom, and now, Sarah will speak to the joys and demands of being a mom who has a career outside the home. It is accurate to say that ALL moms are hard working women! I know that this will encourage you, no matter your calling, to show your children you love and are committed to them, but are also committed to God’s purposes for your life – and that you and your family will soar, as you’re obedient to Him! Sarah is also a great cook, and she’s provided a yummy roasted cauliflower with cumin and paprika recipe. Thank you, Sarah!

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From Sarah

When I became a mom I had been in the workforce for over 15 years. My husband and I longed to have children but it just took longer for us. We were ‘expecting’ for years but finally had a date and what turned out to be 42 weeks to bring a life into the world.  As we started preparing for his arrival, we evaluated and debated so many decisions – his name, colors for the nursery and who would be the ‘stay-at-home’ parent.

When I became a mom I had been in the workforce for over 15 years. My husband and I longed to have children but it just took longer for us. We were ‘expecting’ for years but finally had a date and what turned out to be 42 weeks to bring a life into the world.  As we started preparing for his arrival, we evaluated and debated so many decisions – his name, colors for the nursery and who would be the ‘stay-at-home’ parent.

While women represent a growing number of our workforce, in the Christian community there were few ‘stay-at-home’ dads.  As we arrived at our decision, I had many inquiring minds questioning if I had lost my mind!  “You’ve waited so long to have a baby are you sure you don’t want to stay home?”, they’d say.  Or, some would have that look of disappointment, implying I was prioritizing worldly pursuits over our child’s best interest. 
It was not an easy decision, as part of me really wanted to stay home with my new baby, but as I look back on that time, and every other period of my life, I can see that God directed us – and He still does today.

Raising the next generation is a high and daunting calling, and our top priority as parents. However, no family approaches that calling exactly the same.  One of our primary responsibilities is to be obedient to God, and for me, He called me to the marketplace.  I am so thankful I had many God-fearing friends who supported and encouraged me as I went back to work after my maternity leave.  As women, let’s support and encourage each other in our God-given roles, whether it be at home, in a school, ministry, business or even the boardroom!  As a society, we will be stronger with a balance of men and women working together to raise our children. We will see better results due to those partnerships.  Sometimes our roles change based on different seasons of life, and someday I may switch roles with my husband, but currently I’m out-numbered as the vote is 3-1 to keep it as is!  

It is important and helpful that our children understand why we do what we do. Raising our kids and teaching them how to make decisions often come when we share some of our decisions or life experiences. As we raise our kids, I’ve found that sharing our experiences can be a great opportunity to teach and to build our relationships.  I travel frequently, and it’s hard being apart from each other. When I was preparing for a specific trip, my son was really questioning why I was leaving.  As we talked through a number of topics, I shared that I would be thanking the people in my company who work to serve our customers.  I shared how I was excited about it and really wanted them to feel special and appreciated.  He asked a ton of questions and gave me input on how I could make them feel special.  I realized he wanted to be more connected to what I was doing and sharing the why behind the trip and the meeting was a great connector for us.

To this day he will often ask, ‘who are you thanking on this trip, Mom?’  
I also found the conversation to be an easy way to connect how I am responsible for the same behaviors we are asking of our children. We value a ‘heart of gratitude’ and are always reminding and reinforcing actions and attitudes that line up with being grateful. In this instance we talked about how important it was for mommy to be grateful and to share my gratitude. It may seem simple, but seeing his wide eyes as he realized I was responsible for being grateful at work was a connection and teaching experience. 

So ladies, own your calling – whatever it may be – and find ways to connect with your kids so they see you are obeying God and connecting with His purposes for your life. 

Roasted Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 400
Ingredients: Cauliflower Head,1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or Coconut Oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Cut Cauliflower into florets and slice into 1/4 in slices. Place cauliflower on a baking sheet in one layer. Drizzle oil on cauliflower. Mix spices together. Sprinkle spices over cauliflower. Mix cauliflower to over in oil and spices. Roast for 20-25 min. Turn over cauliflower at midpoint. Enjoy!