"Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes, by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers and sisters, aunts and cousins, comrades and friends – but only one mother in the whole world."  - Kate Douglas Wiggin

A couple of evenings a month, my mother-in-law will spend the evening with the children while Adam and I go out for dinner together. Invariably, her last words to us as we walk out the door are "Be careful-you can’t be replaced!"

Moms need to hear these words from time to time – you can’t be replaced! The life-shaping role you play in your family is unique and invaluable. In present day society, moms, and especially stay at home moms, often feel like underachievers. Women have achieved any number of high-profile positions in our society. We may consider this a great move toward the recognition of the equality of women and the emancipation of womanhood as a whole. However, in my eyes, there has never been a moment of greater female recognition or emancipation than the night that the eternal God wrapped himself in frail, helpless human flesh and placed himself in the arms of a young girl with no credentials but a heart of love and faith.

We may often ask ourselves, "Does what I do really count for anything?" Historically, the status of families has proven to be a barometer for the rise and fall of societies. Strong families = strong nations. I could give you any number of examples of moms who changed the course of history through the role they played in the formation of the character of their children. Our nation’s two greatest presidents, Washington and Lincoln, both credited their mother’s early influence as a key factor in their success.

There is no arguing with this principle. Moms, you must understand that strong families just do not happen without you. A mom is the anchor of the family; the key stabilizing influence in the home environment. I like to think of my job as that of a thermostat; when things get too cool, it’s up to me to warm them up. When they get too hot, it’s my job to help cool them down.

Don’t let yourself think, dear everyday mom, that you are a second-class citizen. No one ever had a more sacred or world-changing responsibility than that of nurturing and guiding a new life – an eternal soul. Long after the names of the rich and famous have faded from memory, the name, "Mom," will stand unchallenged in the hearts of men.