Motherhood – Page 6 – The Welcome Home

A Mother Worthy of Remembrance (a message from 2001)

A Mother Worthy of Remembrance
by pamela spurling

No matter who you are, where you live, what your age… the very mention of the word “mother” likely conjures up many emotions. Even when we mothers look at ourselves in the mirror, we undoubtedly have mixed emotions as to who we are, what we do, what we hoped we’d be and what we are becoming. We may think back on memories of our mothers with bittersweet emotion… loving them for who they were or tried to be, cringing with regret for taking them for granted, regretting things they did that hurt us or things we did that hurt them, we may feel a sense of loss over the mother we never really knew, we may have ambivalent feelings toward them who have or had lives so different than our own… Whatever the case, Mother’s Day surely is a time when emotions run high, when remorse or guilt grips us, or when joyful memories flood our hearts and minds.

This Mother’s Day, I am especially mindful of who I am as a mother to my children, of how I am viewed by them and how they’ll remember these days of their childhood and early adulthood—thus the title of my message today: A mother worthy of remembrance.

In addition to considering how I will be remembered by them, I am now also considering another phase and that is how the LORD will use me in the lives of my grandchildren… and I am continually sobered by the thought that the grandchildren, like my own children need loving encouragement and they need a faithful mother/grandmother who will daily be remembering them at the feet of the LORD, that someone loves them and cares so much for them that they are a frequent topic of conversation before the LORD. I know that one of the saddest thoughts I had at the passing of my husband’s grandmother was the fact that we would no longer have her daily prayers of intercession on our behalf. I knew that day by day we were carried to the throne of God in her prayers. It was knowing this that taught me to daily pray for our children… it was her example of steadfast prayer that taught me to pray and to wait on the LORD for His timing and His answers, in the same way, she taught me to pray for their future spouses, for their lives and for the work the LORD had planned for them. Her dedication to prayer and of daily waiting on the LORD was a discipline she learned from her mother—of whom, as I understand it, was also widely known as a woman of prayer.

It amazes me how the LORD works, in that some of her prayers were not answered until long after her death, and yet, seemingly unanswered prayer was not a discouragement to her while she lived. It is knowing this and trusting in the LORD’s timing that has inspired me to pray for our children in a whole new way. I pray for many things for them and I pray that they, too, will learn the discipline of prayer—the obedience of prayer. I pray for their daily walk, their decisions, their future work, for their future spouses, and so on. Recorded prayers and recorded answers to prayers have surely been an encouragement to me as I look back on petitions before the LORD and His directions and answers to them. More and more I hunger for the times of the day when I can go aside and pray. The LORD has demonstrated His loving and listening ear over and over as He directs through His Word and in answers to prayers. He has confirmed His listening ear time and time again and I trust Him for His past deeds and future promises—for what He has said, that will He do. The prayers of His saints are wafting up as incense about His throne. What a blessing this is to know. And so, prayer is one of the disciplines of a mother worthy of remembrance.

These Grand and great-grandmothers were models to emulate; they are mothers worthy of remembrance … and their disciplines are worthy of remembrance today, as I know that my mother in law credits her own disciplined life to the examples she saw in her mother and grandmother. Faithful women. We may not personally have living examples of faithfulness, but the LORD has given us models of women who trusted in Him, whose faith was a credit to them. We have past lives and living examples and accounts of women in the Word who stand as models for us today. Sarah is an example of a woman whom the LORD found faithful. We are told in 1 Peter that we are her daughters if we do well and are not afraid with any amazement… or as the American Standard says: “…if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.” We are to trust and not fear. We see once again that fear and faith cannot be carried in the same bucket. And so, faithfulness is one of the disciplines of a mother worthy of remembrance.

It is the desire of our hearts to be found faithful… just as we read in the Word: “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” —Matthew 25.23

I so wish that I had had the wisdom in the early years to carefully weigh the decisions I was making and the lasting impact those decisions would have. I didn’t grow up as a disciplined person, nor did I learn to carefully plan decisions. Oh, how I thank and praise the LORD today for His watchcare over me even when I did not know Him. Motherhood sort of just “happened” to me as a young married and I would apply what I was reading or what was suggested to me at the time. I must thank the LORD continually that He specifically placed me in “strategic” places where I would learn or hear ideas and try and do them. I didn’t know early on that decisions needed to be made with wisdom. I didn’t carefully weigh out all my decisions in light of the future or in light of eternity. The tyranny of the urgent and the expedient ways of doing things dictated how I made decisions. As I look back now, very seldom was wisdom employed in the making of decisions. I was easily swayed by emotion and worldly reasoning. I didn’t weigh out the consequences of my actions… though I was hemmed in by the LORD, I took much liberty to exercise what I would later come to see as poor judgment.

I continually grow in this area of decision making as I still on occasion tend to be impulsive and have to keep this in mind when buying things for our home, for our children, etc.

I see such great need for wisdom and understanding when teaching the children, when talking with others, in making lists for the day, in planning schedules or whatever other decisions might need to be made. I often pray for wisdom and understanding as I seek the LORD as the mother in our home. I sometimes think that there is nothing I need more than this with the passing of each day. The Word teaches us that wisdom is more to be desired than gold. Proverbs 31.26 says: “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” And so this tells me that seeking wisdom is one of the disciplines of a mother worthy of remembrance.

Psalms 49.3 “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.”

Psalms 51.6 “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”

Psalms 90.12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Another one of the disciplines of a mother worthy of remembrance is the discipline of virtue. We learn of this in the Word that the Proverbs 31 woman was a woman of virtue. She was a woman of excellence. What a loving and Marvelous God to give us this insight into His design for us each one. O, that it might be said of us: “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.” (Proverbs 31.29) We learn of this quality in the New Testament as well. 2Peter 1.3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” This quality is both passive—and what I mean by this is that it is a quality of the mind or the way we think on things—and it is active, it is what governs what we do and how we behave, and it is given to us by the Lord Himself.

Philippians 4.8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

2Peter 1:5 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”

Desiring and becoming a virtuous woman means deciding to leave off with worldly thinking and worldly ideals. A virtuous woman cannot be measured by the standards of the world—she is measured by the standards of the Word. And just as I shared with you earlier as well as last week, faith and fear cannot be carried in the same bucket, so also the Word and the world cannot be carried in the same bucket—one will displace the other. In order to follow the Word, you must leave off following the world. The road of either one is going in an opposite direction. A virtuous woman does not travel both roads… she has chosen the better part, she has chosen to be a woman of the Word. And so, at any cost, seeking to be virtuous is one of the disciplines of a mother worthy of remembrance.

Proverbs 31.10 “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”

And finally, though this subject is far from being covered, a mother worthy of remembrance is a mother who is loving. O, how I desire to be a mother who, through love, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. I feel quite certain that this aspect of love is the desire of your heart as well. No matter how much I pray, no matter how disciplined I am, no matter how I seek wisdom and virtue, if I don’t have or demonstrate love, I am nothing… and that’s not how I want to be remembered.

A truly loving mother… that’s a mother worthy of remembrance.

pamela spurling ~ TheWelcomeHome ~ 2001 ~

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Heard at our house today:

Today was an outside most all day long. The first mowing of the year, the first trimming of the year (besides the pruning of the fruit trees and roses done last month), and first real sunny-warm-play in the water sort of day.

Mama, I’m so glad you had more children. I’m so happy I can play with my brothers and sisters — I would be so sad if you didn’t have any more children and I was all alone. [Hug, hug, hug…] I’m so happy…”

I smiled and said, “me, too.”

And I’ve been smiling about that over and over again… and I’m thinking, I’m sure thankful the last baby is glad I had more children. 🙂

30 Favourite Things #22

There has been quite a variety of experiences or special things in this collection of “30 favourite things” — life changing or life-impacting things during my fiftieth year. When I first began writing these entries, I obviously didn’t have a specific plan or order of importance in the posting of these things. They’ve just sort of unfolded — not necessarily even in order of thought… I’ve just written about what’s come to mind on any given day.

To have our boy, Timothy, be called to be a missionary was not a surprise to me. I’ve known all his life that God had a work and a purpose for this boy’s life and therefore, it’s been a bittersweet thing to always know that he would be serving in places I’ll likely never see, experiencing things I never have nor will ever experience — and humbly I say, receiving a sort of blessing and joy I will never know. But I do know this — to be his mother is my great honour and to pray for him is my joy. And so, during this, still my fiftieth year, my sweet joy has been to think of, pray for and hear from our Timothy.

Timothy looking up

One of the greatest gifts the Lord has given this mother is to have a son
willing to, as Jim Elliot said, “give up what he cannot keep
to gain what he cannot lose.” Praise the Lord.

So Send I You

So send I you to labor unrewarded,
To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown,
To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing,
So send I you to toil for Me alone.So send I you to bind the bruised and broken,
O’er wand’ring souls to work, to weep, to wake,
To bear the burdens of a world aweary-
So send I you to suffer for My sake.

So send I you – to loneliness and longing,
With heart a-hungering for the loved and known;
Forsaking home and kindred, friend and dear one,
So send I you – to know My love alone.

So send I you – to leave your life’s ambitions,
To die to dear desire, self-will resign,
To labor long and love where men revile you,
So send I you – to lose your life in Mine.

So send I you to hearts made hard by hatred,
To eyes made blind because they will not see,
To spend, tho’ it be blood, to spend and spare not-
So send I you to taste of Calvary.

*After many years, Miss Clarkson added to the hymn, writing verses that reflected the trials, and the joys, of God’s call on the lives of his children. As she matured she recognized that she was sent out to minister to others, not in isolation, but in triumph.

So send I you – by grace made strong to triumph
O’er hosts of Hell, o’er darkness, death, and sin,
My name to bear, and in that name to conquer-
So send I you, My victory to win.

So send I you – to take to souls in bondage
The word or truth that sets the captive free,
To break the bonds of sin, to loose death’s fetters-
So send I you, to bring the lost to Me.

So send I you – My strength to know in weakness,
My joy in grief, My perfect peace in pain,
To prove My pow’r, My grace, My promised presence –
So send I you, eternal fruit to gain.

So send I you – to bear My Cross with patience
And then one day with joy to lay it down,
To hear My Voice, “Well done, My faithful servant –
Come share My throne, my kingdom and My crown.

“As the Father hath sent Me….. so send I you.”

E. Margaret Clarkson – words
John W. Peterson – music

30 Favourite Things #4

Settled. That’s really how I want to remember my fiftieth year. Actually, I sure wish I had been — or felt — settled a lot earlier in my life — but I wasn’t — not really. So, I want to affirm that this has sort of been the year of settling things. I’ve never really felt all that ‘self-assured’ or confident. Too often I’ve been swayed or even derailed by what others might think or what others might say about this or that decision or action I might have made or taken . Therefore, I’ve tended to doubt. A lot.

The years have brought so many changes that one thing I knew I could anticipate for sure was change. Over the years, as the babies continued to come along, I would wonder if I could be a good (enough) mother to them all. I’d wonder if they’d remember me loving them when the days were long and the weeks would fly by. So many changes. O — from early on I was very settled that the LORD is Lord of the womb — I was very, very settled in my heart that the LORD was the only determinant — for both family size and timing — I just wondered when the next baby would come; that’s what I mean about things not feeling settled. And then, in the later years, I kept wondering if there’d be one more — and finding myself praying over and over: just one more.But things still didn’t feel settled.

All that wondering led me to, or through, what I have affectionately called my “mid-wife crisis.” A ‘mom of many’ tends to think that the many will always be there — that pregnancy is the default condition, that nursing’s a way of life and that every year and a half or so a new baby would join the fold and the family would continue to grow and grow — that nothing’s ever settled for very long — from the number of plates on the table, to the number of shoes at the back door to the number of carseats in the van. And so… that question that every ‘mom of many’ gets: Are you done yet? Are you going to have any more? A ‘mom of many’ tends to answer: I don’t know – only the Lord knows – the answer is never settled though the resolve is. And I’m pretty sure most of us thinks the season will go on for a long time.

It doesn’t.

So… this has been the year I have finally reconciled myself to the fact that there won’t be any more — that that season has passed — and I’ll never travel that way again. Broaching a subject I’ve not addressed here, it’s one of the most significant things a woman faces. Sounds odd to put menopause on my list of “30 Favourite Things” doesn’t it?! There have been *many* things I haven’t liked about menopause — but reckoning with this and settling a season has been important — saying goodbye to the bearing season has been so hard – it’s one of the biggest things I’ve ever faced. So, the reason I put this near the top of the list is that I have really wrestled with — even fought against this one for many years — our baby will be eight years old in a few months. It’s been a marvelous, wonderful journey — the childbearing season of motherhood. I’ve been blessed beyond measure and surely through no great or mighty thing that I have done — but that He saved me and then gave me a loving husband and eleven precious children. I’m in awe. Ever in awe.

30 Favourite Things #2

Okay… so yesterday I told you that I’d be posting “thirty favourite things” from the last year… things that were big or important to me that I never really wrote about — some of the “life changing” or “significantly impacting things” from my 50th year. And I’ve been thinking that I have so many significant things to share — but what are worth telling — or, more importantly (considering this is a public venue), what are worth reading? So I’m attempting to tell the stuff that’s worth reading.

June was an extremely busy month and, as such, some of the ‘big things’ that happened were very obscured by some smaller busy-ness – but weren’t small things at all.

Probably one of the most cherished events or most significant events I’ve ever experienced have been the births of each of our children and witnessing the births of our grandchildren. The incredible gift of life — the experiencing God in the indescribable instance of birth is truly one of the greatest treasures I have or will ever have. So, then, on the eleventh of June I had the great honour and privilege of caring for my friend who was labouring with her sixth child. When my husband and I arrived at their home, our friend was in the throes of labour and the waves of pains were wracking her body as the time drew nearer for the birth. Her husband and mother were there comforting and caring for her. It became obvious that the midwife would not arrive in time for the birth and more obvious that her husband and I would be the ones to care for her during the actual birthing of the baby. Continually working with her to give her assurance and comfort, I trusted God to guide our thoughts and decisions. Time, space and propriety does not allow for the recounting of all the (very significant to me) details of this wonderful night.

Surely the presence of the Lord was in that place — great peace was intermingled with the thrilling anticipation of the impending birth. She was so beautiful and serene there in the warm water and as the baby was born – “in the caul” – into the waiting hands of his father, it was so obvious the blessing of the Lord was on him – on the mother – on the baby – and surely giving me great peace and comfort. The father is a fireman — but that’s not why I had no fear. He has helped with births as I have in the past, but that’s not why I had no fear. I had no fear because the presence of the Lord was so evident.

As the father moved to gather necessary things, I was so honoured to place the baby in the hands of the mother and to hold him there with her so that I could more carefully assess the baby’s colour, breathing and cord. Everything looked very good as it was a very, very smooth birth (note, I never said very, very easy or pain-free). But you know… if there was pain, if there was too much or if it was hard, my friend showed none of that. She was as if to be carried through on the wings of angels — that’s the only way I can describe her beauty and countenance. I will never, ever forget that most wonderful night.

The midwife did arrive some time later, was pleased with our ‘work’ and completed the care and assessment of the baby and mother. God had surely blessed that whole labour and delivery and it was very evident to me the prayers of the saints were with us.

I prepared a meal and tea to drink and brought it up for our serenely resting friend… in her arms was the precious newborn Timothy who had been so named for our missionary son. This was surely one of the greatest honours we’ve ever received. We prayed and do pray the Lord will bless, guide and use this little 2nd :o) Timothy in great and mighty ways all the day of his life.

When I awoke after a few hours sleep in the morning… I cried with awe, joy and thankfulness at the goodness and mercy of the Lord. He alone does wondrously and all things well.

The Way I See It #296

My friend surprised me with a delicious Sbx this morning. What a yummy treat and wonderful way to start the day! Sbx coffees haven’t been part of my ‘diet regimen’ lately, but today I obviously had to make concessions for… well, what could I have done? Tell my dear friend, no thanks, I’m dieting… what? are you crazy? no… no… no… not me!

So… yum… it’s as delicious now, one hour later, reheated just a tad… and here’s what it says:

By the time executives get married
take on a mortgage, raise kids, cope
with crabgrass, climb the
corporate ladder, do their best to
manage career pressures, build
their net worth and get into their
40’s, they’ve lost touch with what
they believe in and care about
most deeply.”
–Allan Cox

I’d sort of dislike attempting to liken motherhood to corporate life — I’m not one to attempt jazz up the description of “occupation” when filling out forms. I don’t look to cleverly describe my life as a domestic engineer, in product research and development, nursing, transportation, nutritionist… etc., etc. No, I never do all that. I never attempt to describe my life or define it using corporate terms — there just aren’t common terms to define or describe motherhood — none that would be sufficient, anyway.

When I read the cup today… I mulled over that Starbucks The Way I See It #296 quote… and I thought of parallels to mothers who spend decades building the kites, making sure the spines are straight, the covers are properly stretched, mending the tears and broken frames, reinforcing the structures over and over and then slowly lengthening the tails and strengthening the line… releasing and unwinding little by little and then when the line is fully extended from the reel… knowing when to cut the line and put the reel away.

It’s December 18th

I thought I’d better just log-in, write something, share a few thoughts or blog an entry in order to dispel any thoughts that I dropped off the face of the earth. Or am still coughing. Or am still sick. Okay, I’m not sick… but am still coughing.

It’s December 18th and all through the house every creature is stirring — even a mouse! Little traps are all set with peanut butter and bacon — in hopes that the little creature would soon be achin’ and what to my wandering eye should appear, but more snow, yes, more snow is here! I went to the window to see the great sight and low and behold more snow fell in the night and the whole world looks to be a beautiful, pure white!

You have to know that I just sat down to type, forgot the story and so cannot continue the rhyme.

So, it’s December 18th… it sure doesn’t look like there’s a big celebration going on — or even planned… but it’s here, it really is. The pantry is filled with ingredients that, when assembled, will bring great delight… and will conjur up memories of Christmas past and set the tone for the days ahead. Each recipe I prepare and each “tradition” I don’t forget to keep seems to say to my family: I love you, I love you, still.

I’m trying to be renewed daily in the Spirit of my mind and keep the “what would Jesus do?” thoughts in the forefront of my singing and plans and daydreams and concerns. I think on each child; I pray for specific concerns particular to each one. My mind harkens back to days when they were small… such different days than these… in those days I would fall into bed, so exhausted from the work of the day and would sleep soundly — and then wakening to the sounds of a baby’s cry or the pitter-patter of little feet. In those days I could hold them in my arms and cover them with little blankets — now I can only hold them in my heart and cover them in prayer.

I miss those days and find myself thinking: hmmmmmmmm, nothing and everything prepared me for these days. The LORD is faithful. I’m thankful He never tells me what’s ahead and yet, all the while, He’s preparing my steps and my heart to accept each new dawn — strengthening my faith day by day.

I stand at the sink and ponder these days, ponder those days and think: If I could go back to those days — would I? For I wouldn’t want to miss these days in order to relive those. I attempt to recall what I was doing on any given December 18th of the last 30 years… and I smile at the thought of the early days and decide to not spend much time there — each year seemed to add a chair at the table — and even though now each year seems to take away a chair from the table, I decide to embrace these days – these good old days.

It’s time to go bake a memory.

Hard to sleep… I’m a mother.

Coyotes are whining and howling in the field. They sound horrible and shrill — like someone is trying to kill them (sometimes I wish someone would). Sounds seem magnified tonight… the dishwasher, the washing machine, the dryer, the icemaker and the water refilling it. O, and the coyotes. Suddenly, they’ve become quiet. Maybe my neighbour said, that’s it…

I have been mulling over the bailout plan the senate is expected to vote on tomorrow. I consider many silly scenarios and some sensible ones — several I have written to my reps and sens in the last few days. Now, I’m no poli-sci major, nor econ major either, for that matter. But I’m a mother and over the years, mothers figure things out pretty well. I don’t know any mothers who are thinking this “bailout” or rescue is any sort of a sensible idea.

Mothers quickly learn the mechanics of supply and demand… they understand that the supply never seems to be adequate for the demand — but they don’t ~~usually~~ look for a bailout – they deal with lack of food, lack of sleep, lack of finances, lack of energy, lack of clothing that fits, lack of ability or whatever else is lacking and they figure out way to make it – to make ends meet, to adjust, to stretch, to flex, to wait or to go without. It’s that simple.

Can you imagine a mother going to school where her teenage boy is a failing student and taking him on her lap and telling the teacher that she, herself, will be doing the assignments and taking the tests so that he won’t fail?

I mull this over… Wall Street is sort of comprised of investors — investments make the wheels of Wall Street turn. Government has no business directing or redirecting or bailing out Wall Street — Wall Street will take care of itself if it’s not ‘bailed out’ and if investors taxes are not increased. Simple supply and demand. So what if wealth in this country will decline some – does the government, by going through with a bailout, possibly think that going further into debt will make or keep this country ‘rich’? It’s crazy… all we can do is patiently wait and watch and pray.

Well… still can’t sleep. It’s hard you know… to go to sleep when ~~attempting to run the country~~ the children aren’t all in yet… I’m a mother… patiently waiting… watching… praying.

It takes a mama…

I don’t get out much… some, but not much. And, for the most part, I like it that way. O, don’t get me wrong: I love to go places, I love to do things and I love to see new things. But I love being home. When I do go out… I sure see why it’s important for me to be here… at home, keeping the home and caring for each one and each thing here.

I love keeping our home and I love home-work. I love making sure that home’s home. O, I know that anyone can clean houses, make food, clean it up and make more food and clean that up, too and do it over and over and over again. I know that anyone can put stuff in the washer, move it from there to the dryer, put more stuff in the washer and do the same thing over and over and over again. I know that anyone can supervise the existence of children in a home and maybe even teach them things, too. I know that anyone can tidy up, dust, vacuum, sweep, wipe, mop, and turn lights on or off in a home. I know that anyone can bar a door from intruders and anyone can uphold a schedule and order.

But it takes a mama to make a home home. It takes a mama to care for the things of a home. It takes a mama to care for the apparel and appearance of the children and husband in her home and it takes a mama to care for the quality of the food and the presentation of the meals and the appearance of the table and the conversation that happens there. It so matters what goes on them,what goes in them and what goes on around them.

It takes a mama to remember the nuances of life… the candlelight and the music of life — to share the yesteryears and stories of generations gone before. It takes a mama to remember the preferences and particular idiosyncrasies that make up each child’s unique personalities and to really care how those children feel and how their character is shaped. It takes a mama to genuinely attend to a nursling, a baby, a toddling child, a maturing son or daughter and all the needs each age and each season brings — it takes a mama to anticipate what the changes will be and what they’ll necessarily require. It takes a mama to care about a rash, a fever, a first step, a composition, a heartache, dental appointment, a physical exam, pictures on the fridge, a skinned knee, an awkward incident, a disappointment, an accomplishment…

It takes a mama to set the tone, the order, the routines, guide the activities and make the sweet memories of the home. It takes a mama to demonstrate God’s precious and specific order for one of the halves of His creation. It takes a mama to show what the Word says… to demonstrate the living Word of God in word and in deed. It takes a mama to hear the heart of her children — and to care what’s going on in each heart. It takes a mama to teach a child to pray… and to listen to the LORD. It takes a mama to do all that matters (and a mama knows it all matters… a lot).

It takes a mama to make a home sweet and it takes a mama to give a home a heart and it takes a mama to make a home a wonderful place to remember and a dear place to long for. It takes a mama to be a real sweetheart for her husband and the first sweetheart of each of her children. It takes a mama to make a home a journey, a launch-pad, a destination and a desire.

When mama’s not home… the home has no heart ♥ and there’s really no-one to look well to the ways thereof. God’s clear design is marred and distorted when mothers lose sight of, or disregard, the inestimable value of motherhood… when women choose lesser things.

H♥me. It takes a mother’s kiss to make some things all better. It so matters when mother’s there. And it so matters when she’s not.

Another first day of school

teacuppamela I woke up this morning with eager anticipation for the day: our 21st “first day of homeschool.” In the early days of homeschooling, I would not have even guessed where we would be today — in terms of both where we’ve been or how many children have been taught at the table. I could not have asked or imagined the blessings that have come through the years. Additionally, I most certainly didn’t know enough to know that there would be days of anguish or exasperation — near despair over what I don’t know and couldn’t communicate. But I also didn’t know enough to know that there would also be days of immeasurable satisfaction and that the accomplishments over the years would bring such great joy. I suppose, I didn’t know the LORD enough to know that He would be my strength and my song — my ever present help in trouble or in time of need.

As always, we seek to train up the children in the way — in the way they should go — in the fear and admonition of the LORD. My goal/our goal is for the children to be taught of the LORD at His pace – in peace – in His time. As a homeschooling mother, I’ve been learning that the greatest achievement will not be what I do, say or model, but what the LORD does in and through each of the children based on how and what they learn and how they apply their studies. So then, I’m profoundly aware each day of the awesome task before me – I’m mindful that they will be influenced for good or evil, to be industrious or slothful in work, attentive or ignorant in learning, obedient or disobedient in behaviour, careful or careless in presentation, eager or apathetic concerning the things of God, studies or prayer or a myriad of other things. If my work is half-hearted, if I murmur or if my example is poor, then the resulting teaching will be unfruitful and will bring them a snare.

… a child left to himself bring his mother to shame.” —proverbs 29.15

what a powerful proverb. But what joy a mother has whose children walk with the LORD.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” –3John 1.4
Truly, I am beginning to grasp the tremendous truth and blessing of faithful children. I know no greater joy than this… and so, today as we embark on another year of homeschooling, I’m desiring this above all things — that the children will walk in Truth — that they will know Him.

But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children;” –Psalms 103.17

I pray to teach them to love to work, to love to read, help, learn and then I pray to see frequent use of education through application and teaching of others by example. Above all, I pray each one of our children will be found faithful. I pray they will have good understanding and rich insight and that the LORD will make them wise.

I pray to be found faithful to the unparalled calling of motherhood and I pray to demonstrate this in joy to each one of our children. How grateful I am to know that I am not alone in this great calling — in this great charge. King Lemuel’s mother (or Soloman’s mother) taught him well — and, my-o-my, what an example we’ve been given in theProverbs 31 passage of Scripture.

And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. –2Timothy 3.15