The most stressful part about mothering for me is the continual cleanup/housework. It feels tedious and gets torn apart faster than I know how to yell at the little Tasmanian devils to undue their trauma. Did I just say that? You should have seen Xavier this morning go from one drawer to another, emptying the contents, spill out two baskets and start terrorizing older siblings all with that animalistic little growl of his...oh yes, and a big smile. I watched all of this while I was doing the breakfast dishes.
So, here's my encouragement of the day. Self-encouragement?
Leave a room better than you found it.
That's all.
Leave each room better than you found it.
Somehow this keeps my perfectionistic tendencies to a minimum and then gives me a little spurt of energy...all while helping me with my discouragement level.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
mommy vitamin by one of our founding mothers
"Well, knowledge is a fine thing, and mother Eve thought so; but she smarted so severely for hers, that most of her daughters have been afraid of it since. "
— Abigail Adams
I am embarrassed to admit that I didn't know motherhood took such serious smarts. This was one of my pre-children feminist enlightened mindsets. Motherhood, I thought, wasted the minds of intelligent women. There, confession doesn't always feel good. I had no idea how many day-offs (because I believe that every mother needs one in order to keep her sanity) I would spend in the library and bookstore devouring books about early childhood education, nutrition, smart discipline, and household organization. I HAD NO IDEA that motherhood would take all that I had to give and more.
I believe that the most important time in a mommy's day is in scripture and prayer. There is no way that I can have the love, joy, peace, patience etc. that I need unless I am filled with the Spirit, practicing the Presence and LISTENING to the word of Wisdom God desires to give. The other day I overheard Madeline telling Baby this, "I'm going to tell you a story of a bad little girl, and that bad little girl is me." Wow. Did Madeline really believe that she was bad to the core...and that she was defined by that? I believe that it was the Holy Spirit who quickened my mind to catch those words and then to understand what those words meant to Maddie. I pulled Madeline up on my lap, looked her in the eye and said, "Madeline, you are my good girl. Jesus forgives the bad things that we do and then makes us good girls again. YOU ARE A GOOD GIRL." Her face lit up and said in a high pitched voice, "Good girl. Good girl." I spent the next week telling Maddie that she was my "good girl." Each Much of her whininess and acting out began to stop.
Sometimes it "feels" like my prayer time is empty. I haven't really connected. But, it always whets my appetite for more. It makes me thirsty. The kids wake up. I put on my favorite Sara Groves pandora station or Fernando Ortega station and I keep praying through the morning. Other times I have been given wisdom right in the middle of my prayer times for that day's mothering. Sure, sometimes it is a short 5 minutes because of baby's early wake up cry, but always VITAL to prime my listening-to-God ability for the rest of the toddler-paced day.
— Abigail Adams
I am embarrassed to admit that I didn't know motherhood took such serious smarts. This was one of my pre-children feminist enlightened mindsets. Motherhood, I thought, wasted the minds of intelligent women. There, confession doesn't always feel good. I had no idea how many day-offs (because I believe that every mother needs one in order to keep her sanity) I would spend in the library and bookstore devouring books about early childhood education, nutrition, smart discipline, and household organization. I HAD NO IDEA that motherhood would take all that I had to give and more.
I believe that the most important time in a mommy's day is in scripture and prayer. There is no way that I can have the love, joy, peace, patience etc. that I need unless I am filled with the Spirit, practicing the Presence and LISTENING to the word of Wisdom God desires to give. The other day I overheard Madeline telling Baby this, "I'm going to tell you a story of a bad little girl, and that bad little girl is me." Wow. Did Madeline really believe that she was bad to the core...and that she was defined by that? I believe that it was the Holy Spirit who quickened my mind to catch those words and then to understand what those words meant to Maddie. I pulled Madeline up on my lap, looked her in the eye and said, "Madeline, you are my good girl. Jesus forgives the bad things that we do and then makes us good girls again. YOU ARE A GOOD GIRL." Her face lit up and said in a high pitched voice, "Good girl. Good girl." I spent the next week telling Maddie that she was my "good girl." Each Much of her whininess and acting out began to stop.
Sometimes it "feels" like my prayer time is empty. I haven't really connected. But, it always whets my appetite for more. It makes me thirsty. The kids wake up. I put on my favorite Sara Groves pandora station or Fernando Ortega station and I keep praying through the morning. Other times I have been given wisdom right in the middle of my prayer times for that day's mothering. Sure, sometimes it is a short 5 minutes because of baby's early wake up cry, but always VITAL to prime my listening-to-God ability for the rest of the toddler-paced day.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Mommy vitamin by anonymous writer
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England ..
Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe ..
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To My Dear Friend, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.
It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals.. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.
And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe ..
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To My Dear Friend, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.
It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals.. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.
And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
gorgeous jill phillips song
Go look her up on itunes!
I was just praying that my mothering would MATTER! I so want my children to grow up loving the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. But, oh yess, I can never fill their cosmic needs: Only He can.
I AM by Jill Phillips
Oh gently lay your head upon my chest
And I will comfort you like a mother while you rest
And the tide can change so fast, but I will stay
The same through past, the same in future, same today
I am constant and I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy, I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
Your heart's desires
Oh weary, tired and worn, let out your sighs
And drop that heavy load you hold 'cause mine is light
And I know you through and through, there's no need to hide
I want to show you love that is deep and high and wide
'Cause I am constant and I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy, I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
Your heart's desires
I am constant, I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy, I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
Your heart's desires
Oh gently lay your head upon my chest
And I will comfort you like a mother while you rest
I was just praying that my mothering would MATTER! I so want my children to grow up loving the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. But, oh yess, I can never fill their cosmic needs: Only He can.
I AM by Jill Phillips
Oh gently lay your head upon my chest
And I will comfort you like a mother while you rest
And the tide can change so fast, but I will stay
The same through past, the same in future, same today
I am constant and I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy, I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
Your heart's desires
Oh weary, tired and worn, let out your sighs
And drop that heavy load you hold 'cause mine is light
And I know you through and through, there's no need to hide
I want to show you love that is deep and high and wide
'Cause I am constant and I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy, I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
Your heart's desires
I am constant, I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy, I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
Your heart's desires
Oh gently lay your head upon my chest
And I will comfort you like a mother while you rest
Friday, February 26, 2010
Living life gloriously in miniature
Yesterday as I was reading a bedtime story to my children, I learned the true wisdom of this last Chesterton quote. I was dramatizing Corduroy the way I used to act for highschool/college plays, Which used to be one of my favorite things to do. The question is: why should I put less excellence in my readings for a few little minds as I used to for crowds? And all of a sudden I felt the pleasure of God. His ideas of success are different than our world's.
Lord, I want so much to mother out of freedom and joy and after a trying season of just putting my head down and trying to just get through the day without anyone at the doctor's, I want to learn to mother, not with duty but with passion.
Lord, I want so much to mother out of freedom and joy and after a trying season of just putting my head down and trying to just get through the day without anyone at the doctor's, I want to learn to mother, not with duty but with passion.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Mommy Vitamin
A Favorite:
"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can imagine how this can exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute."
— G.K. Chesterton
"To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can imagine how this can exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute."
— G.K. Chesterton
Monday, February 22, 2010
This blog still exists? Hey passionate women
I'm so embarrassed. I started this blog to keep those who were in our fellowship and moving away from South Haven from feeling too far away and then found that they didn't use it after all! Then, I thought it would disappear from not being used, just like the juicer in my basement.
However, since it is still here, I will begin enjoying the sound of typing with the quiet sound of three children in the distance.
So, here it goes: I want to be a passionate spirit-filled "when I run I feel God's pleasure" kind of mom. Remember Chariot's of Fire? Eric Liddell was passionate about running...passionate about God AND passionate about running. He ran IN God's presence and enjoyed His company as his head went back and his arms began flailing, sprinting for the finishline tape (I'm being handed plastic food as I write this and my baby is making adorable growling noises...oh, and there are numerous goals being scored by my 5 yr old against manchester united in our living room. I'll make this short:) I want to be passionate about mothering...for goodness sake, this is what I was created for! I figure that there's no reason why I can't ask the Heavenly Parent to fill me with His parenting ability through the Holy Spirit.
I don't want to just do my duty...but be filled with the spirit to live as a joyful mom, passionate and running toward every bedtime with joyful abandon.
I recently found some podcasts on DESIRE by John Eldredge which was a copy of a conference he had done years ago on this subject. He is inspiring the heck out of me. Thank You God!!!
Love you all!
However, since it is still here, I will begin enjoying the sound of typing with the quiet sound of three children in the distance.
So, here it goes: I want to be a passionate spirit-filled "when I run I feel God's pleasure" kind of mom. Remember Chariot's of Fire? Eric Liddell was passionate about running...passionate about God AND passionate about running. He ran IN God's presence and enjoyed His company as his head went back and his arms began flailing, sprinting for the finishline tape (I'm being handed plastic food as I write this and my baby is making adorable growling noises...oh, and there are numerous goals being scored by my 5 yr old against manchester united in our living room. I'll make this short:) I want to be passionate about mothering...for goodness sake, this is what I was created for! I figure that there's no reason why I can't ask the Heavenly Parent to fill me with His parenting ability through the Holy Spirit.
I don't want to just do my duty...but be filled with the spirit to live as a joyful mom, passionate and running toward every bedtime with joyful abandon.
I recently found some podcasts on DESIRE by John Eldredge which was a copy of a conference he had done years ago on this subject. He is inspiring the heck out of me. Thank You God!!!
Love you all!
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