What do you think of when you hear the word "mission"? Do images of mysterious characters in long trench coats with the very latest in high-tech gadgetry come to mind? Does the theme song from "Mission: Impossible" start playing in your head? (Yah, me too!)

The dictionary defines "mission" as "a ministry commissioned by a religious organization to propagate its faith or carry on humanitarian work b : assignment to or work in a field of missionary enterprise". I find this definition very interesting because when God selected us to be the mommy to our children, we were commissioned, or assigned, to a missionary enterprise.

The common (and accurate) perception of being a missionary is one who undergoes missionary training, travels to a foreign land, immerses themselves in the local culture and brings the message of the Gospel to an unreached people. Becoming a missionary requires submission to God's call, forfeiting whatever other version of life that the missionary might have lived and laying one's life down for the purpose of reaching and serving others.

Well, my fellow mommies, we became a missionary the moment our little ones were conceived! Sometimes that’s a difficult concept to grasp but as mommies on a mission, let's investigate! And yes, feel free to use whatever high-tech gadget you prefer (I’m using the Elite9000 Supra-Thingamabob)! Today we will look at our first clue!

Clue #1 - Missionary Training
My guess is that, like me, you went out and got some pregnancy and parenting books and started getting up to speed on what the rest of your life was going to look like.

You learned what to expect (when you are expecting) and perhaps attended classes ranging from how to have a natural birth (yes, that was me), breastfeeding, and infant CPR to how to properly diaper, bathe and dress your new family member.

You may have even connected with other mommies-to-be locally or online to share your excitement about becoming a mommy and sharing horror stories about how big your ankles got the night you ate a whole can of macadamia nuts with a jar of olives (no, that WASN’T me!).

My point is that as mommies-to-be most of us received some training just as missionaries do before they get sent out to a foreign land. Trust me, the similarities are astounding and we will put on our trench coats and Fedoras and investigate another clue next week! So join me!

In the meantime, share with me a story of some of your mommy-to-be training!