Keeping the focus

I have been a mom for almost 17 years.  Sometimes I get tired and think to myself...."is this really ALL I am going to do with my life?"  Sometimes I do feel like I have been doing this FOREVER!!  Even being the joy that it is, life as a stay at home mom, wife and homeschooler can seem mundane and often feel like its not worth anything compared to the other "more useful" things I could be doing with my life.  I have struggled lately with a constant temptation to look else where for better "more important" places to put my efforts and abilities.

Not to long ago I was talking to an older woman who made a comment about mothering at my stage in life and it really got me thinking.  She said..

"being a mom is such a commendable job.  For some woman it feels like a life long task that never ends. There aren't a lot of stay at home moms anymore because the world tells us that we can do bigger and better things.  Stay at home moms now a days aren't even stay at home moms like we were in my day.  In my day we stayed at home and that was that.  If you got together with other women you got together with your children and then you went home and prepared dinner for your family.  There were no side jobs, no working from home, no trying to be a mom and do 100 other jobs on top of that. There comes a time when I think women start looking for something "more" when they aren't yet finished with the job God has given them.  If your children aren't grown yet ...you aren't finished yet.  They may get older but they don't get easier.  I commend women who stick with it until the end.  Women who don't slack off half way to the finish line looking for "something else" Those woman will be the ones to finish well and they will hear from the Lord one day that they have been good and faithful and rewarded as such"

Now some may look at this older woman and thing "wow what an old-school grump!"  I may have thought that at one time in my life too.  but as I get older I treasure more and more the wisdom of older women.  This lady is no exception.  I think there is great wisdom in what she shared with me that day and I also think was a perfectly timed message to me from the Lord.  She didn't know this, but I was struggling with exactly what she spoke about.  I have been a mom for SO long, and honestly was starting to feel somewhat burnt out and wondering if maybe it was time for me to look for more in my life.  A job?  more ministry?  something?? 

I know this is not the case for everyone and this was definitely a personal conviction for me.  It is by no means meant to discourage those moms who are working or finding other important things to do while also still raising children.  Some women can balance it all and they do it well, but for me and for me alone...I know that God is calling me to keep my focus here at home.  To raise my children, school my children, serve my husband, and not look to much else where my time and attention will be divided.  I do still have ministy and activities that I'm involved in but they are centered around my one main focus.....My family.  As I hone in more on that focus I will be writing more about what God is sharing with me about it including the things He is calling me to fucus more on as well as the things He's calling me to give up.   

"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." Proverbs 31:28-31

Immanuel

Every year at Christmas I say that I am not going to let the Christmas season go by with out really focusing on what the season is all about.  I really try my best to keep that focus but with all the shopping, baking, parties, lights and festivities, before I know it the season is over and I find myself exhausted and completely off track from the real meaning of Christmas.  This year was no exception.  As I have been working to put all the Christmas decorations away this week it has crossed my mind several times that I can't even really believe it's over all ready.  I don't even feel like I experienced Christmas.  It all seems like a blur.  I wish I could do it all again now that everything is calmed down and it's peaceful again!! 

Today as I started my year of reading through the Bible again I was in my New Testament reading in Matthew.  At the end of Chapter 1 in v. 23 it says...she will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel which means "God is with us"
As I read this I was overwhelmed by that simple little phrase.  That IS what the whole season is all about.  God gave us Christ so he could "be with us"  not just at Christmas but always!  Maybe I don't celebrate Christmas in December like everyone else.  Maybe December for me is a month of service and giving.  Giving to my family, my friends, my neighbors, my church.  I bake and I shop, I wrap and I create.  This year I even ran a little business and helped my family financially with my Christmas earnings. It was busy yes, but others were blessed.  My family got (almost) all the special treats that they love so much, we full filled all the traditions that they look forward to, we spent time with neighbors and with family. We delivered treats, we received treats, we taught Sunday school, we had a big Christmas dinner with ham and all our favorite fixings. 

Yes, maybe December is a time of service for me.  Maybe I celebrate Christmas on Jan. 4th. as I sit by my fire place with my Bible in my lap and a sweet 5 word reminder.....Immanuel-God is with us. All December during the hustle and bustle....and today by the quiet fireplace with my Bible and a cup of coffee....He is with us. 

Looking forward to what lies ahead

After a month off from writing (or doing anything else of leisure for that matter!) Its a New Year and a new beginning.  As much as I absolutely LOVE Christmas, this year was overly busy and for the first time ever I was a little happy to see it go!  I was eager to get life back to normal and relax!!  How ironic that a time that is meant to remind us of Peace becomes a time of total chaos!!!

Most people approach the new year with a bit of introspection. We look at what we accomplished this year, what we failed at, and then look at ways we can do better in the up and coming year.  The whole idea of Jesus (the main reason we celebrate Christmas!) represents a new beginning.  He came so that we all could lay down our old sinful selves and become New creations before God.  The old is GONE the new has COME!!  Praise God for that.  Has your 2011 been a year of loss? a year of sorrow? a year of failure?  If we all look closely we will find one of theses somewhere I am sure!  REJOICE in it!!  We can't have NEW unless there is OLD that can be trimmed away! Pruned! 
This new year lets remember to forget the past and look FORWARD to what lies ahead! Philippians 3:13
Lord, as I begin a new year help me to keep my head up eagerly looking forward to what you have for me.  I am excited to see what you have in store for me, my family and for those close to me this new year.  I know it is going to be good because you are good and your intentions are always good for those who love you!  Amen