This last week has been challenging for me mentally. Normally I feel like I have a pretty good handle on things and can easily cast my cares upon the Lord, but this week in particular has had a lot of things stirring in my heart. For anyone who knows me, or that follows my blogs, knows that in the past, I have been a bit of a control freak...ok, maybe a lot of a control freak. Being a control freak is more than just wanting everything done right but a lot of it stems from pride and thinking that I can do it and my way is the best way, most women can attest to this when it comes to their husbands and the way they do things!
Last year the Lord really dealt with me about my issues of control and not completely trusting him. I was put into situations where I had no other choice but to let go and trust God with my marriage, my kids, our finances and my eating habits. With all that, I thought I was done going through the pruning of all that, wouldn't you? Well, I guess I was wrong and there are still some deep seeded roots that need to be pulled up! Through a few different circumstances the last couple of months, I am realizing that parts of me still want to be in control. When it comes to my relationships, I have a hard time not allowing my emotions to get too involved and attached. I try and speak the truth in love or share what I believe the Lord is showing me, but then when it comes to those people making a decision, I find myself feeling disappointed when they don't make the clear, obvious choice.
I do not want the burden or responsibility of being someone else's Holy Spirit. I have come a long way in that, but I don't know how to not cross certain boundaries, especially when someone has given me so much access into their lives, asks for my advice and/or help. I see so many people, especially Christians that are "saved and stuck," living way below the life that God has for them, and it's so hard to watch people barely making it, not fully understanding who they are in Christ, what they have because of him and that if they would stop being scared and truly seek/follow God that they would live with such passion, joy, peace, and abundance that they would never settle for mediocrity again!
Yesterday I was praying and asking the Lord to help me understand why I often feel this way and his response to me was "This is just a small glimpse of how I feel. I have great and amazing plans for people, but they limit me and live life trying to fulfill things that I never created them to fulfill. They walk down paths that I never intended them to walk down, pursue the wrong dreams, and never truly seek ME! They gamble with their lives, and would take a greater risk on their lives or playing the lottery then they would at following me."
I don't want to gamble my life away by pursuing my own hopes and dreams, and I hate seeing other people do the same. With that said, I am letting go of the control once again. I have learned that I can not make people see things they don't want to see, go in ways they do not wish to go, and do things they do not wish to do. I will speak truth, love others but I will not let their actions or lack thereof disappoint me. What people choose to do or not do is up to them and if they decide to take the road less traveled, I will welcome them with open arms just as if they choose to take the road that's traveled on by many. I will not try and control others nor will I let my emotions control me. I will just simply be...period.
This blog was created to challenge our way of thinking, the way we perceive things, and to ultimately point us towards God. In reading my blog, I challenge you to step outside of your normal way of thinking, expect to see the goodnes of God, to possibly see things in a new light, and to not be limited to our own perceptions.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Do Everything as Unto the Lord
Ok. So I have been wanting to write about the topic of being a sahm for quite some time now and am finally feeling the release to do so. Let me throw out a disclaimer: What I am about to write may step on some toes. It is in no way, shape, or form any means to judge, criticize or condemn anyone, but to offer a different perspective.
Being a sahm is no easy task for anyone, and I'd venture to say it's not everyone's cup of tea. I love being a sahm...well, most of the time, and it has it's challenges like anything else. I use to look at staying at home as a tedious, never ending, thankless job that involved me doing the same thing day in and day out, over and over and over again with nothing to look forward to. Since moving to CO, I have found a new perspective in so many areas, this being one of them. Staying at home isn't just something we do, it is a huge way we can minister to our families! I am in no way claiming to have it all together, anyone who really knows me can vouch for that, but what I am claiming is that there is, and could possibly be, another way of looking at this thing we do as women, wives, mothers, caretakers and homemakers.
Growing up, cleanliness was next to Godliness in my house. I was taught that everything had a proper place. To this day I still follow that, it was just engrained into me, but now I do it for different reasons. I feel that being a sahm is a privilege. I am very thankful that the Lord has given me the opportunity to do so and that my husband works his butt off so that I can stay at home. With that said, I believe it is my responsibility to not only stay at home, but to make my house a home. A home that is warm and welcoming, free of clutter, messes everywhere u turn, a place my husband can come home to and truly relax after a hard days work and doesn't have to be concerned with the things of the home. I stay at home, and that's the least I can do to not only be a good steward of the things and responsibilities the Lord has given me but to also show my husband that I love him, value him and appreciate all the hard work he does. I'm no Mary Poppins, but I do believe that as a homemaker and caretaker, my #1 priority (other than to God) is to truly take care of the one's, and the things I have, to show the Lord I can be faithful in the little things and that I don't take those things lightly or for granted.
I think simply what it boils down to is priorities and perspective. Lots of sahm's would rather hang out with friends or go shopping, and those things are fine in moderation, but I don't feel that they are productive or that they should be our main concern or priority. If we have spent all day hanging out, shopping or whatever, we are not using our time wisely, we are being careless in our efforts and what do we have to show for it? We are living in a home and most of the time a life that is dysfunctional, out of sorts, chaotic, has no rhyme or reason to anything and where we just fly on the tail of our shirt everyday. Our lives and homes need to be a place that if the Lord were to walk in, we wouldn't feel ashamed or embarrassed of the way we have taken care of things. Granted, we don't need to be sticklers and be overly concerned, but we do need to make it a top priority just as we do our time with the Lord. I'm not saying things need to be spotless and you need to be a drill Sargent enforcing cleanliness, but I am saying that we need to ask ourselves is what we r doing right now representing the Lord well? Are we simply doing what we want, or r we doing things as unto the Lord? Are we being careless and selfish in our efforts or r we using that time to be a blessing to our family or our hard working husbands? Is what you're doing ministering to your family?
Let's all be good stewards of the people we are entrusted with, the things the Lord has blessed us with, the time we have, and see our part as not some meaningless task but a way of blessing those around us! There's no greater calling than being a mother, and to get to stay at home is just the icing on the cake! Let's represent the Lord well in all we do, in word and in deed, do everything as unto the Lord, knowing that He will bless the work of our hands, cause our families and relationships to grow and prosper and that when we stand before Him we will know that we did the best we could with what he gave us. Even if we never get a thank you, the Lord sees our diligence and will reward all the tireless hours we put in serving not only our families, but ultimately His children and that we did it with a heart that was selfless and full of love.
Being a sahm is no easy task for anyone, and I'd venture to say it's not everyone's cup of tea. I love being a sahm...well, most of the time, and it has it's challenges like anything else. I use to look at staying at home as a tedious, never ending, thankless job that involved me doing the same thing day in and day out, over and over and over again with nothing to look forward to. Since moving to CO, I have found a new perspective in so many areas, this being one of them. Staying at home isn't just something we do, it is a huge way we can minister to our families! I am in no way claiming to have it all together, anyone who really knows me can vouch for that, but what I am claiming is that there is, and could possibly be, another way of looking at this thing we do as women, wives, mothers, caretakers and homemakers.
Growing up, cleanliness was next to Godliness in my house. I was taught that everything had a proper place. To this day I still follow that, it was just engrained into me, but now I do it for different reasons. I feel that being a sahm is a privilege. I am very thankful that the Lord has given me the opportunity to do so and that my husband works his butt off so that I can stay at home. With that said, I believe it is my responsibility to not only stay at home, but to make my house a home. A home that is warm and welcoming, free of clutter, messes everywhere u turn, a place my husband can come home to and truly relax after a hard days work and doesn't have to be concerned with the things of the home. I stay at home, and that's the least I can do to not only be a good steward of the things and responsibilities the Lord has given me but to also show my husband that I love him, value him and appreciate all the hard work he does. I'm no Mary Poppins, but I do believe that as a homemaker and caretaker, my #1 priority (other than to God) is to truly take care of the one's, and the things I have, to show the Lord I can be faithful in the little things and that I don't take those things lightly or for granted.
I think simply what it boils down to is priorities and perspective. Lots of sahm's would rather hang out with friends or go shopping, and those things are fine in moderation, but I don't feel that they are productive or that they should be our main concern or priority. If we have spent all day hanging out, shopping or whatever, we are not using our time wisely, we are being careless in our efforts and what do we have to show for it? We are living in a home and most of the time a life that is dysfunctional, out of sorts, chaotic, has no rhyme or reason to anything and where we just fly on the tail of our shirt everyday. Our lives and homes need to be a place that if the Lord were to walk in, we wouldn't feel ashamed or embarrassed of the way we have taken care of things. Granted, we don't need to be sticklers and be overly concerned, but we do need to make it a top priority just as we do our time with the Lord. I'm not saying things need to be spotless and you need to be a drill Sargent enforcing cleanliness, but I am saying that we need to ask ourselves is what we r doing right now representing the Lord well? Are we simply doing what we want, or r we doing things as unto the Lord? Are we being careless and selfish in our efforts or r we using that time to be a blessing to our family or our hard working husbands? Is what you're doing ministering to your family?
Let's all be good stewards of the people we are entrusted with, the things the Lord has blessed us with, the time we have, and see our part as not some meaningless task but a way of blessing those around us! There's no greater calling than being a mother, and to get to stay at home is just the icing on the cake! Let's represent the Lord well in all we do, in word and in deed, do everything as unto the Lord, knowing that He will bless the work of our hands, cause our families and relationships to grow and prosper and that when we stand before Him we will know that we did the best we could with what he gave us. Even if we never get a thank you, the Lord sees our diligence and will reward all the tireless hours we put in serving not only our families, but ultimately His children and that we did it with a heart that was selfless and full of love.
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