Attitudes
I want my home to be a place of sweetness and delight and thankfully, most days it is. But the longer I am a mother the more acutely I'm aware I am that this depends heavily upon me! Sometimes I forget this. Sometimes it feels "unfair" and a burden to be the one who has to have it all together. Because there are some day when I not only don't 'have it all together' but feel I'm coming apart at the seams! :) This, I think, can drive many moms into the impossible delusionary land of "doing it all" or at least making it appear so.
But the Lord knows we are fragile and human with a great need of divine help. We simply cannot do this on our own. I can't count how many times I have been on my knees in prayer with such burdens on my heart that all I could mutter to the Lord were feebles squeals of "help!". Good thing that God has an interpreter!
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)
It's so important to remember that our facsinating job to make our homes a place of sweetness and joy is a privilege rather than an obligation. When I think of it this way, I see it more as a "power". God has given me major influence! No matter what is on "the menu" each day, I have the power to put the sugar bowl on the table! :) I have been given the amazing power of sprinkling my family with sweetness and joy.
So you would think that knowing this, grumpiness would never sneak up on us! I wish it were so! :) But the truth is, it's just all too easy to forget where our source of joy comes from. We can give and give and give and if we never take the time to drink from the well of Life (the Lord Jesus and his word), we'll feel empty and pressured and our attitudes will suffer. And when mama's attitude suffers, the whole house suffers!
Praise God that he has given us the simple act of prayer and calling on his name when we are in need! We don't have to find a quiet place to run to. We can call to him from our hearts wherever we are - while we're driving, doing the dishes or even in the middle of a conversation that isn't going so well! :)
I'm not a "perfect mama" but I am being perfected by the Master himself, Jesus Christ. He's my Saviour! Is he yours?
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
But the Lord knows we are fragile and human with a great need of divine help. We simply cannot do this on our own. I can't count how many times I have been on my knees in prayer with such burdens on my heart that all I could mutter to the Lord were feebles squeals of "help!". Good thing that God has an interpreter!
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)
It's so important to remember that our facsinating job to make our homes a place of sweetness and joy is a privilege rather than an obligation. When I think of it this way, I see it more as a "power". God has given me major influence! No matter what is on "the menu" each day, I have the power to put the sugar bowl on the table! :) I have been given the amazing power of sprinkling my family with sweetness and joy.
So you would think that knowing this, grumpiness would never sneak up on us! I wish it were so! :) But the truth is, it's just all too easy to forget where our source of joy comes from. We can give and give and give and if we never take the time to drink from the well of Life (the Lord Jesus and his word), we'll feel empty and pressured and our attitudes will suffer. And when mama's attitude suffers, the whole house suffers!
Praise God that he has given us the simple act of prayer and calling on his name when we are in need! We don't have to find a quiet place to run to. We can call to him from our hearts wherever we are - while we're driving, doing the dishes or even in the middle of a conversation that isn't going so well! :)
I'm not a "perfect mama" but I am being perfected by the Master himself, Jesus Christ. He's my Saviour! Is he yours?
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
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