waiting

Learning to wait is a grace for a woman who fears God. Waiting with a gentle spirit is a miracle–a beauty, an acquired habit that comes with practice and experience. Choosing to take today in its stride–choosing to see the glory of the moment in the midst of frantic children, choosing to look for beauty and the fingerprints of God in the midst of the messes requires a heart decision–Psalm 27 says, “Let your heart take courage–let it–make it, choose to let your heart fill up its boots to the power of God’s abiding grace. Choosing to believe that my prayers have not hit the roof of my home and gone no further, but that God indeed is present.

from "The Never Ending Issues of Life- how to endure gracefully" by Sally Clarkson's blog I Take Joy, 27 June 2011

(art credit: Waiting for the Boats by Philippe Lodowyck Jacob Frederik Sadee, 1881)

The Secret of Fufillment

Wisdom from Carolyn Mahaney and the GirlTalk blog, from The Secret of Fulfillment

"Recently, at the end of a conference session where CJ and I fielded questions, a woman approached me with a query of her own: “So what do you do on the side?” she inquired.

“On the side?” I echoed, not fully comprehending her question.

“What do you do for personal fulfillment?” she sought to clarify. “You see I’m happy my husband has his ministry because that provides him with personal fulfillment. But I pursue my own hobbies because they provide personal fulfillment for me. So,” she repeated again, “What do you do?”

I was unprepared for her question. And I’m sure my answer was insufficient. (How often I have an eloquent answer after the conversation is over!) If I had it to do over again, I’d tell her about Dorothy.

Dorothy was a woman who knew the secret of true “personal fulfillment.” A single mom whose husband left her with a son to raise, Dorothy didn’t spend time worrying about herself. Instead, she was always serving and caring for others. I knew her because she was my Sunday School teacher. And Dorothy was one of the most joyful women I knew.

At my bridal shower everyone wrote down a piece of advice on a slip of paper. I only remember one, and it was Dorothy’s. Her secret to a fulfilled life? “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39).

Our culture is constantly telling us to find our life; that we’re the center of our world, and as such, we need to take care of “me” first.

But when I’m the center of my world, my world becomes very small—because I’m the only person in it. When I try to find fulfillment in anything besides loving Christ and serving Him, I will only end up more frustrated and completely unfulfilled.

Now, don’t misunderstand. I think we as women should express our creativity, and even more importantly get sufficient rest. But the purpose of creativity should be to glorify God with our gifts, not to find “personal fulfillment,” and the goal of rest should be to strengthen us for service.

If we want “personal fulfillment" as women, we must not follow our culture’s prescription. Rather, we must lose our life for Christ's sake. Then, amazingly, we'll find that our world expands. We'll know the thrill of seeing the fruit of our sacrificial service in the lives of those around us. So for true "personal fulfillment," let’s follow Dorothy’s example as she followed Christ."

(art credit: Mothers by Kathleen Green)

different

"Being a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but being a Christian makes me a different kind of woman,”

Elisabeth Eliott

but how?
different in what way?
I immediately think to Romans 12:2-

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect...


(art credit: Female Head (La Scapigliata) by Leonardo DaVinci, c. 1508)

Over and over again

"Good manners have been elevated to the level of Christian righteousness.

 ”Moralistic parenting occurs because most of us have a wrong view of the Bible. The story of the Bible isn’t a story about making good little boys and girls better. As Sally Lloyd-Jones writes in The Jesus Storybook Bible:

No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne—everything—to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life.

This is the story that our children need to hear and, like us, they need to hear it over and over again."

from "The Danger of Moralistic Parenting," by Elyse Fitzpatrick, on The Resurgence blog

Kids behaving well is good, and it is very convenient, but it is not enough and it is not the end.
Do I show my kids the same Grace that the Lord has shown me?
How do I find that right balance of justice and mercy?
That is some of what I struggle with.
And that is why I go back to that Story of rescue, the Story that is True, over and over again.

(illustration by Jago, from The Jesus Storybook Bible)

A Mother's Calling

"Mothers who understand that God desires "godly offspring" (Mal. 2:15) realize what an important part they play in fulfilling God's desire. It takes diligence, hard work, and faith to raise godly offspring for God, but it is a soul-satisfying work." ~ Nancy Wilson

"God had things He wanted me to learn that I could only learn as a mom at home. He still does. I have come to believe that staying at home is as crucial to my personal and spiritual development as it is to that of my children." ~Allie Pleiter

if I don't draw close...

But I go to church, often only because I am dragging them with me, and often because if I don’t draw close to the liturgy and the Cross and the blessing, I may well go stark-raving mad.
- Tony Woodlief, "Confession of a child-dragging churchgoer," WORLDmag.com, March 18, 2011

Reading this piece by Woodlief, I remember all too well those years of dragging little ones to church. 
Little ones who didn't want to sit still. 
Little ones who couldn't whisper.
Little ones who may or may not have been thunked on the noggin when they fussed with one another.

There were the years of being THAT close to getting out the door when a distinct odor halted the entire operation until a diaper was changed.
There were the years of trying to take toddlers into the nursery, only to have them scream long enough that I would be called back, usually just in time for the sermon.
There were the years of "I have to go to the bathroom."  "Wait."  "I have to go to the bathroom."  "Wait." "I have to go to the bathroom.  NOW!"

Now, they know how to sit still and they get themselves dressed and fed and they don't need snacks or quiet toys for the service.
And even so, some Sundays I get that same pull to stay home,  only now it's because "I don't want to go..." and "why do I  have to go?" and "I'll go but you can't make me go to Sunday school..."
Dragging big ones to church can be equally as hard, in a completely different sort of way.

But I go to church, often only because I am dragging them with me, and often because if I don’t draw close to the liturgy and the Cross and the blessing, I may well go stark-raving mad.

I slip into the pew and bow my head and utter the same prayer as I have for all these years.
Please Lord, meet me here this morning.
Please Lord, show me your Glory.
Please Lord, show me your Grace.


And He does.
He speaks through the Word and the song and the prayer.
He shows Himself in people and community and fellowship.

We never leave the same as when we arrived.
Thankfully.

Earnest, Secret, Believing

Earnest, secret, believing prayer should never cease to be daily presented for our offspring...That parent has neglected a very important branch of his duty, who has suffered one single day to pass by without bearing his children upon his heart before God in private prayer. -- John Angell James

As I read this, I reflected on the amount of time I really do spend in prayer for my children. While I spend much time in prayer for them, I also recognize that there needs to be particular times of "going to battle" for them on my knees before the Throne. May our Lord give us wisdom as we intercede on their behalf!