Category Archives: motherhood

The M and M World

Christianity, homeschooling, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, , , , , ,

canstock2945945

The M and M World!  Sounds like a candy title to me!!  

Mary and Martha actually….

I have never been much into housekeeping.  I did it because I had to do it.  I got no joy out of washing dishes, making beds, folding clothes, dusting….I know, I know…some moms take the time to pray during this time or get up at 4 a.m. to accomplish these chores.  Nope, not me.  I felt the need to “educate” my sons in these areas, so I would wait.  I am pretty sure I had a dust cloth in the eldest hand by the time he was 4!  Or was that 3?

I did have a friend that was just the opposite of me.  She always was buzzing around her house getting things done.  She was super organized, enjoyed housework and I would never catch her sitting down. She believed that no time should have ever been “wasted”, and activity was too important to ever relax.  Seriously, she wore me out.  

 But which one can you relate to?  Which Mom are you?  Are you constantly up doing something?  Do you have a hard time just sitting and being still?  Or is your life pretty balanced?

In Luke 10:40-41 Mary and Martha were dealing with very much the same issue. “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!’  ‘Martha, Martha’, the Lord replied, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'”

Sibling rivalry at its best!  And you are probably thinking…”Well if Jesus were visiting, of course I would sit and visit!” But do we now? That is a battle that we all face at one time or another.  Can we take time out of our busy schedules to sit at the feet of Jesus?  Do we have to learn to “Practice His Presence”?  Do we have to learn to be still?  I confess, I do.  In an age that is very goal oriented, we are all encouraged to be busy.

Jesus knew the importance of spending time with him.  Notice he did not tell Mary that what she was doing was wrong (there goes that Biblical excuse about not cleaning), it had to be done. But he did tell her not to be upset. Don’t get entangled in the things that can wait, those things that take you away from the foot of the Savior.

So our challenge is this…can we sit and be quiet and listen when we feel the “nudge” to do so?  Or do we put it off so we can finish up the vacuuming?  I have done that many times in my life…I have put the pressure on myself and I will miss that gentle “nudging” only to forget about it all together!

  I grow older, I would much rather be at HIS feet….and besides, my hubby has always preferred to do the housekeeping his way…so now I just let him… while I eat a few M&Ms!

Blessings dear ones~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image*

Moms~Do you Realize?

Christianity, homeschooling, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, teachers, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

momandchild

Moms…I wonder if you realize you are your child’s first teacher?

When I first started my teaching career, I had not yet become a mother.  In fact, as you will remember from an earlier post, I didn’t ever want to be one!  (Me a Mom?  Never say Never).  But I was an expert in raising children.  You could have asked me and I would have told you.

I have asked God to forgive me for the number of times I sat across the table from a mother and told her what she was doing wrong as a parent.  I am not kidding.  Why her child was having the learning difficulties he was having….oh, I was kind in my wording, but I still said it.  By the way, God did forgive me.  For I truly did not know what I was doing.  I was fresh out of college and at the age that made me an expert at everything!

Then, I became a MOM.  At first I thought the reason I read to my womb was because I was “officially” a teacher.  Then I realized that my profession did not matter.  I was my child’s first teacher.  I knew that the first few years were the formative years.  Playing “peek a boo”, walking, talking…all of these milestones happened before my child would ever step one foot into a classroom.

  I have found in my later years a couple of things.  First, some parents don’t understand that responsibility or they don’t feel like they are “teachers”.  Well you are!! One way or another you are teaching your child.  Their “ABC’s” and “1,2,3’s”and values… by actually helping them determine right from wrong, or seeing the example you are setting. You will teach your child morals and values…or someone else will.   But make no mistake about it you are your child’s first teacher! 

Remembering my first child’s birth, I gasped when I realized the tremendous responsibility I had.  I read all the books, compared him to friend’s babies….when should he crawl, is he on schedule?  Pressure.  And quite honestly, as good at telling parents how to parent before parenting myself…I was as good being that parent.  Or so I thought.  Then someone talked to me.

“Relax” she said.  “You cannot teach him everything he must know.  Children learn at different speeds, in different styles.  The most important thing you can do is love your child….and give him TIME. Teach him about Jesus and pray with him.”   I heeded her advice.  And I relaxed.

Moms….relax.  Enjoy your child.  Work his vocabulary when you take him to the grocery store and pick up can goods.  Talk to him when you take a walk, pointing out all the beauty of nature.  Read to him (this is one of the most important thing you can do in my humble opinion), sing to him (even if off key), play with him.  And the most important?  Teach him about Jesus.  Start early and never stop.  Learning is “caught, not taught”. In some cases that can be good…some bad.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17

 Once I went back into teaching after my boys were mostly grown, I realized many things.  First of all, I quit sitting across from parents pretending like I knew it all.  Even though there were some things I was concerned about, I never was condescending.  I knew that parent loved the child more than I ever could understand.

Second of all, some moms just needed suggestions on how to “teach” their children.  Many times they began to realize that it wasn’t the “teacher’s responsibility” to do all the teaching.  All in all, my motherhood made me a better teacher.

So moms…always teach.  You are the first.

Blessings~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*NIV Bible, google clipart image

Just Like Their Daddy

Christianity, mom, motherhood, Parenting, Spiritual Encouragement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

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He Looks just like his Daddy!!

My husband and I are the proud parents of two adult men.  Wow, that is weird evening saying that…it seems like yesterday we were the proud parents of two little boys!  They truly do grow up quickly. I cannot stress that enough.  I remember people telling me that and I seriously thought I would be crushing cheerios underfoot for the rest of my adult life!

One thing that always made us proud was when someone told us that the boys looked “just like their daddy.” Although I was a “stay at home mom” who cared for those youngsters, on occasion I thought it would be nice if someone said at least one of them looked like me!!  My husband was out working sometimes very long hours so I could stay home.  Of course I thought I did all the work, so if one of them looked like me I felt like I was at least getting some credit, at least it seemed that way!  But loving my Godly husband and realizing this was a compliment, I often let it slide; it was a blessing that they looked just like their Daddy.

As the boys aged, their appearances changed, as well as the development of their own special personalities.  The eldest one really favors his father.  His mannerisms and voice are very similar to his dad.  The youngest one has many of those characteristics as well, although he does favor me just a bit!!  I must say that my hazel eyes are no where to be found.

What a picture of God.  What a compliment to be told you look like your Father!  Jesus spoke to the disciples in John 14:9-11 “Jesus answered, ‘Don’t you know me Phillip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say ‘Show us the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?  The words I say are not just my own.  Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.'”

“Seen” in the above verse means that we have “perceived, discerned clearly, to behold. To see with the eyes, to experience.” (Strong’s) Jesus was responding to Phillip’s request in verse 8..“Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  Gees, I bet Jesus was scratching his head thinking he had been with them all this time and they still didn’t get it!  Jesus was in the Father and the Father in Him.  All that the disciples had seen should have proven to them who Jesus was, yet they still had a hard time “seeing” the Father.  They did not “perceive” who he really was and why he was here on earth. (Of course we aren’t very different, are we?)

He showed characteristics of the Father over and over.  He healed, he comforted, he ministered, he taught, he wept, he laughed..he loved unconditionally.  Jesus’ life was the life of the Father.  While fully man, he was fully GOD.  All the attributes that Jesus possessed were a picture of what God was and IS to His children today!  Can’t you hear it now…an elderly lady on the road to gather water at the town well passes Jesus as a child.  She tousles his hair and comments, “I tell you what Jesus, you look just like your Daddy!”  Jesus just smiled in agreement, the truth never being more true!  

As parents, we have the honor, privilege and responsibility to “train up the child”.  What better teaching than to show them who the Father truly is?  We shared many of our life experiences with the kids as we felt we should.  Why?  To show them how the Father worked in our lives, and even when we weren’t perfect, He always was. His unconditional love is truly that…unconditional.

So I guess we must ask ourselves…do we look like our Daddy?  Do our kids?  A greater compliment cannot be given…..

Blessings dear ones..

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*Strongs, Google clip art*