In a matter of days, my youngest starts kindergarten. Probably the biggest transition of her life to date. But I’m not worried one bit about her; I’m so thankful we held her back. Now I’m confident the Molly Girl is ready.

Then there’s the Mama.

You guys know I’m not overly sentimental, and you know I welcome the beginning of school like a day lily welcomes the rising sun. Space. Room to think my thoughts, as Jen Hatmaker says. (I miss my thoughts and I look forward to seeing what they’ve been doing. Yes.)

As the fog clears, I’ve got lots to sort through… gifts and surprises, tragic losses, new hard questions for God, new mysteries unfolding, plenty of ordinary in between, and this capital-T Transition that is now, finally, here.

Ten years as a stay-at-home mom is no small stint. Now that the babies are off, I need to maximize my money-earning potential. But what is that potential? What do I do? What will my life look like? Will I be able to juggle it all? And who would hire me to work but NOT  on sick days or Christmas break or summer break? How is this going to work? Do I become my own boss? Is it one thing or lots of little things? How will I know what is best for my family? These are the questions waking me up each morning.

Most moms have found answers to these questions. {If that’s you, please advise!} As I walk through this search and discovery process, several posts will likely come along. I’ve been noticing the capable women in the Bible – maybe they have some wisdom for this new season. 

For example: the mother of Moses. Have you ever stopped to think about her?

In a world where having Hebrew baby boys is illegal, she does exactly that. Can you imagine birthing someone into a death sentence? Can you imagine stifling your baby’s cries to somehow keep him alive? I would be scared out of my mind. And yet the writer of Hebrews tells us,

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.    – Hebrews 11:23

She was not afraid. Her fingers weren’t trembling as she wove a basket and released him into the wild Nile, not knowing what would come of her own flesh and blood. Was Moses’ mother somehow assured he would be okay? Was she confident in what she could not see? Did she know the princess was just downstream and strategically send off the basket, with Miriam following along? The more I consider this story, the smarter this mama becomes. Her daughter did not fall far from the tree, either.

Then the baby’s sister approached the princess. “Should I go and find one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” she asked.

“Yes, do!” the princess replied. So the girl went and called the baby’s mother.

“Take this baby and nurse him for me,” the princess told the baby’s mother. “I will pay you for your help.” So the woman took her baby home and nursed him.

Exodus 2:7-9

Did you see what God did there? Moses’ mother got her son back. Alive. Got to nurse him and raise him, got to watch him take his first steps and eat dirt in the back yard and all the things baby sons do… not only that, but she got PAID to do it! While under the full protection of the princess! She got to be a mom and raise her son without fear, in broad daylight, with full provision. In all her praying and planning and hoping, I doubt even her best scenario ended like so.

{Is this not astonishing? This is our Good Father, who saves and delivers and then heaps blessing and freedom on top of the saving and delivering.} Besides the nature of God, such a story makes me wonder about God’s plans, a mother’s intuition, the greater good, the suffering over sons lost…

And as I look to this next season, this story makes me wonder if there’s something right under my nose that God might turn into income. I’m not comparing myself to Moses, the rescuer of all Israel. But I just wonder what will come. I’m nervous yet anticipating good things. God knows what we need, He holds all provision, He has plans to grow and stretch my capacity, and He’s gone before me.

Also, He’s really good, better than my best-case-scenario.