I'm having a sulky day. I have been incredibly productive this morning, from gardening with Lynn to laundry to cleaning to feeding the kiddos. On the surface (lol, literally, as my "surfaces" are clean now, haha) I am pleased with how my time has been spent. However I'm not on the inside. I have this stirrings of discontentment going on. It needs to be rid of.
My twitter friend Lisa from Lisa Writes retweeted someone yesterday with this quote: "Contentment is the direct fruit of having no higher ambition than to belong to the Lord, at His disposal." -S Ferguson
Ouch. I'm not allowing myself to be at His disposal. Oh, I think I'm flexible and willing but have I really put self second to all else? In my more selfish moments I even whine to God about what's the "point" of being "just a mom" and can I really be expected to drop everything to be the perfect "helper" of my husband? I flop between "is that really all?" to "how can I be all that?"
On her blog, Lisa's recent blog post titled, "Today's Chapter" references a John Piper Challenge to Women.
#1 hits the nail on the head. Is everything I'm doing glorifying God? Certainly my selfish actions do not.
#9 Speaking of my husband, do I "influence him spiritually primarily through your fearless tranquility and holiness and prayer?" My holiness. I fall so short.
#10 Am I seeking to "raise up children who hope in the triumph of God" or am I just trying to get through each day with no accidents, squabbles, or too much tv time?
Do I see the "awesome significance of motherhood?" Do I carry on with life with no thought to the significance of my actions, words, selection of past-times?
Anyways... I am challenged by the list, totally humbled, and will spend more time pondering his points. I have much to consider and much work to be done.
I'll leave you with lyrics from a new Steven Curtis Chapman song, "Do Everything." In a nutshell, it advocates Piper's #1 challenge.
You're picking up toys on the living room floor
for the 15th time today
Matching up socks and sweeping up lost
Cheerios that got away
You put a baby on your hip and color on your lips
and head out the door
And while I may not know you I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes does it matter at all
We'll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you
Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every little thing you do
Link to full lyrics (he addresses more than just mothers).
1 comment:
I don't think I'm familiar with that SCC song but I do like what you've posted of it! How I want to be faithful to tell the story of grace! I'm humbled too, sister, both by the list and by the calling I have as wife and mom. I fall so short, and like you flop between the too much and not enough of it all. The Lord is sufficient and He grants grace to the needy! Let us rest in Him!
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