Today I crawled out of bed at the crack of noon. Sounds like I am a real example of redeeming the time, right? Actually, the truth is that I got out of bed much earlier, but ended up going back to bed with a migraine trying to come on. I get migraines rarely, but when I do, if I act quickly, I can usually prevent having several days of pain and lack of productivity.
Anyway, as I got back into bed, I thought how nice it was to be able to go back to bed and leave the household in the capable hands of one of my children. I thought of the days when I couldn't even think about going back to bed because I had little ones that needed care, and I could only hope that they would eventually need to take a nap--and would all do it at the same time!
Many young mothers often comment to me, "I don't see how you manage a household with nine children--I have two and I can hardly make it!" When I hear this, I usually ask, "What are the ages of your children?" Almost always they say something like, 4, 2, and the baby. When I hear their answer, I usually assure them that while I am busy, I am probably not nearly as busy as they are.
My busiest and most stressful days were the days when I had several children all under the age of 5 and none of them were very capable of doing much for themselves. Now that I have children to help out, I am far less busy, and can actually enjoy all my children much more!
The benefit of training children to help out and be an integral part of the family can only be realized several years down the road--and that is where I am now. I can leave and go out with my husband, or go take a nap when I am not feeling well, and everything will likely be just fine when I return. Getting to this point, though, was not easy. It took a lot of time, training, and quite a few tears.
Here's encouragement for that young, busy mother...Enjoy those little hugs and kisses and wait a while to do the dishes if your little one wants to read books. Spend time teaching your little ones to enjoy work and taking part in the family work load. Someday you will enjoy the benefits of all the efforts that you put forward. I had to get through those rough early days, but now I am enjoying the best of both worlds--little ones with hugs and kisses, and older ones with lots of plans and wishes. Investing in the life of your child will reap eternal benefits!
To view our family tract, visit http://lifechangingseminars.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=180&Itemid=254.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Greatest Need
Have you ever felt that your family had more needs than you could ever fill? Some days around my house it seems like there are so many needs--often all at one time--that I cannot sufficiently meet them all.
Often, as busy women we get frustrated because there is just not enough time or resources to able to what we feel like we should do in order to be called "successful."
I came across a quote recently that really spoke to my heart about getting done what is really important. Robert Murray McCheyne, a nineteenth-century Scottish preacher, said, "The greatest need of my people is my personal holiness."
The greatest need of my family, spouse, church, friends, or my ministry is not an organized and efficient woman that appears to have it all together. The greatest need from me that any of these people will experience is to see me living a life of consistent, personal holiness.
In the urgency of the moment, other needs often rise to the top of my "to do" list, and if I consistently allow it, these needs will crowd out the real needs that must remain a top priority. Not only is my personal holiness the greatest need of those around me, but my priority has to be to encourage and inspire holiness in their lives.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss said in her book, Holiness, The Heart God Purifies, "What others most need is to see in you a reflection of what God is like." If I don't have time to spend in God's presence, I've missed the most important things of all, and will someday ultimately disappoint all those counting on me. This may mean I have to make some tough calls about how I will spend my time today, but in eternity, it will be a wise investment.
For more meditations for busy women, visit http://www.lifechangingseminars.com/.
Often, as busy women we get frustrated because there is just not enough time or resources to able to what we feel like we should do in order to be called "successful."
I came across a quote recently that really spoke to my heart about getting done what is really important. Robert Murray McCheyne, a nineteenth-century Scottish preacher, said, "The greatest need of my people is my personal holiness."
The greatest need of my family, spouse, church, friends, or my ministry is not an organized and efficient woman that appears to have it all together. The greatest need from me that any of these people will experience is to see me living a life of consistent, personal holiness.
In the urgency of the moment, other needs often rise to the top of my "to do" list, and if I consistently allow it, these needs will crowd out the real needs that must remain a top priority. Not only is my personal holiness the greatest need of those around me, but my priority has to be to encourage and inspire holiness in their lives.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss said in her book, Holiness, The Heart God Purifies, "What others most need is to see in you a reflection of what God is like." If I don't have time to spend in God's presence, I've missed the most important things of all, and will someday ultimately disappoint all those counting on me. This may mean I have to make some tough calls about how I will spend my time today, but in eternity, it will be a wise investment.
For more meditations for busy women, visit http://www.lifechangingseminars.com/.
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