The symphony of birds, buds and blossoms along with the soft greens seem to sing, Springtime’s here; another season’s underway! With the passing of time, the Lord is teaching me to savour the moments, to watch for the signs of the seasons. I can’t really recall if , or what, I’ve written much about the passage of a season that taught me this, but it was the slow dawning of the reality that the childbearing season was slipping away that first began to teach me to savour the moments. I think I’ve told you how (early on) women–mothers–would tell me,…
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Another birthday for one of our children. Another day to reflect on the many blessings, provisions and calling of the Lord on this son’s life — the golden child, the brothers and sisters call him. We all have a smile when someone says this or refers to him in this manner. They all know they are — each one to me — a golden child, though they’d insist he is the golden child. ~smile~ So another year, another birthday… another celebration that doesn’t look like one here tonight. We’ll make up for it when he returns from Africa in…
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This morning I’m reading in 1 Chronicles 21 & 22. There King David, yielding to the Lord’s chastening, chooses his punishment: “…let me fall now into the hand of the LORD: for very great are His mercies; but let me not fall into the hand of man.” (21.13) For his sin of numbering the people, it’s interesting that David would choose not three years of famine, nor three months being chased by his enemies, but three days, the sword of the LORD — choosing to place himself at the mercy of the Living God. He emerged from that…
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Throughout that week I wondered what the LORD would have me to write for that week’s letter. And so, in an attempt to prepare a letter, I sat down to write. Distractions, buzzers, timers, calls, the dryer’s beep-beep-beep, and the knocking at the back door… distractions. And then I thought: distractions? No: life. Life is what’s happening when we’re waiting and planning for something else to happen. And then I thought on this further and wondered: is this the story of my motherhood experience? Has it all happened while I was waiting for something else to happen? Have the days…
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Dear Sister, First, I want to thank you for writing — for it is in acknowledging our condition and in seeing our need that we can best affirm and apply, by the grace of God, the help or teaching we receive. Second, though this may not be helpful, you’re not alone and your situation or your “dilemma” is not unusual. The devil may attempt to tell you otherwise, but what you’ve written is common to women who both come home from the “work-force” *and* who’ve been trained otherwise. The “trained otherwise” is the main problem — not the new daily…
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(This is part 2 of the post What’s a mother to do?) Remember, you are a book that’s being written every day… and your husband and children are reading it. Your story, in part, is defining their lives. Let the Lord be the author and finisher of your faith. You may resent (as many women do) that no one ever told you the truth about marriage, wives, motherhood and being a keeper at home. You may also resent that you were persuaded to pursue a career or led to believe that a “professional” career is of more worth than “just…
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I consider things for which I want to be remembered in life. Obviously, as a believer, I want to be remembered as a godly woman, I want to be remembered as a faithful wife and a loving mother. I most want this to be observed by my husband and family — from my bathrobe behaviour to my apron work behaviour to my garden clothes behaviour to my dress and jacket behaviour. Regardless my outward adornment, my activity or accomplishment or present company, I desire to be in behaviour that from the heart becomes godliness. That’s my prayer, my aim, my…
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Based on past performance, many of us can attest that doing a new thing is hard. This is where some of us fall off the cliff — or don’t even try! It takes determination to not allow past performance to thwart us from trying or doing a new thing! Doing a new thing is tough. Especially when that new thing takes will power or money — few of us have much of either. And, as we age, we have this daunting fear that past results (things that were good before they stopped being good) don’t necessarily mean that today’s performance…
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It’s the week before Christmas and all through the house, mother is ____________ and the family feels ___________. I posted this @ Welcome Home on Facebook… but it’s so important that I thought I’d share it here. I’ve been posting brief year-end countdown thoughts on Facebook @ Welcome Home. In the new year I hope to post daily home notes and verses for encouragement. More housekeeping and sorting today. Don’t be afraid to box up stuff you really don’t use — as you’re cleaning and preparing for festive dinners and/or visits from family & friends. Whatever you box up today,…
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I just came across a little note in my basket… and thought, this is just what I’m needing! The reminder to have a Mary heart and a Martha mind was the gist of the note. I’m personalizing it a bit to be: Mary thoughts and Martha hands. I must be in the Word and in song in order that my heart and mind are stayed on heavenly things. I must be in the Word and in song that my hands and plans are stayed on heavenly things — working at or accomplishing good things. This is such a needful reminder…