At The Well-Arise and Shine: Being an Exceptional Mother in the Midst of the Ordinary

Lisa over at A Second Generation of Homeschooling has chosen the topic of Arise and Shine: Being an Exceptional Mother in the Midst of the Ordinary. She has raised some thought provoking questions below. Make sure you go to here site and read her heart on this matter.

1. What daily tasks seem mundane or monotonous to you?

2. How can we change our outlook when completing these tasks?

3. What impact do these tasks have on our husband and children? How does it make a difference in their lives?

4. Is it okay to focus on earthly recognition when completing these tasks for our loved ones, or is receiving an eternal reward sufficient? Which does Jesus think is more important? Shouldn’t that be our focus, as well?

Wow! When I read those questions I immediately flashed back about 12 years ago. I was newly married and now a stay at home wife and mother. Where is the manual on those two jobs? I had worked a job since I was 15 years old and when you learn a job they explain things to you, you do them, you get paid, you go home. So where's the manual again? There I was, new wife, new stay at home Mom of a 2 year old and no manual. I never really paid attention when I was growing up to what my Mother was doing all day. I was at school doing my thing and when I came home the house was clean, dinner was always on the table, the dishes got cleaned, my laundry was always done. She must have had help right? Me? No way! I didn't help her. I didn't think it was my job and nobody made me. Not to say she didn't try because she did. I was just too lazy and too selfish. So let's go back to that first 6 months of marriage. I had no idea of how to keep a home. There were always dirty dishes in the sink, the laundry would stay in the basket and hardly ever make it back to the drawers, and what in the world do you do with a 2 year old all day? I'd send my husband off to work to fend for himself for lunch (from the comfort of my bed I might add) and well, a home cooked meal consisted of something that came out of a box.(When does that cleaning lady come?) I now wish I would have listened to Mom. Needless to say I was in way over my head. BUT as time went on my heart began to change. As I sought the Lord he would reveal scripture to me that would make me see my roll differently.

Proverbs 12:4

An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

Was I being an excellent wife? No way!

Proverbs 31:28

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her.

Was my two year old going to call me blessed someday? Not at this rate. Is my husband praising me? I wasn't giving him much to praise about.

Fast forward to today. A lot has taken place in those 12 years. A lot of growing, sacrificing, giving of ones self. Things I wouldn't change one bit. I've grown because I allowed the Lord to grow me, to change me, to mold me into the woman I am today. I desired to be the Titus 2 woman. My husband deserves it and so do my children. Now a days I get up an hour before my husband does and 3 hours before the kids do. In that time I make my husband lunch for the day, make his breakfast and his coffee. When he gets up all he has to do is get dressed, eat and go. He knows he can trust me to do these things and it is less stress on him. He does so much anyway. I then have quiet time with the Lord and that sets my pace for the day. I am happy and pleasant when the kids get up and greet them with a smile. This wouldn't happen if I had just gotten out of bed 2 minutes before they did. Trust me I've tried it. I'm sure my husband said a lot of prayers on my behalf and I am ever so thankful.

I truly am thankful for the home God has provided for me to keep and the husband and kids he has put in my care. I do things through different eyes now. This verse below pretty much nailed it on the head for me.

Titus 2:5

to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Every day brings new and exciting adventures. May you take joy in what you do and do it as unto the Lord.

I'm not really sure if I answered all the questions but this is what stirred in my heart to share as I read them. I hope you will be encouraged by it. It was pretty hard to admit some of those things. I'm so glad that I've been forgiven and given a second chance.

From My Heart to Yours!