Motherhood, Amazing Motherhood

Motherhood is an amazing thing. It has changed who I am as a person. I have found myself saying things I never thought I would say: "Homeschooling is really not a bad option." "What is the point of dating until you are of the age to get married? I want to learn more about this courting concept." "I need to get to bed earlier." "We could go out tonight, or we could stay home and rest."

Motherhood has made me view life and love with new enlightenment. I never really realized how much my mother loves me until I had Carter. It is a love that is unexplainable. It is a love that makes me want to be a better person because I know I am shepherding the life and heart of another soul.

Motherhood challenges me. I have learned a new level of patience since Carter has entered my life. Don't get me wrong, my little man is about as close to perfect as they come, if I do say so myself. Still, there is something about having a one and a half year old screaming bloody murder through Target, while everyone stares a me, that challenges my patience. I have also learned what it really means to put someone else's needs above my own. I have be challenged in my walk with God. I want to be an example to my children of what it means to follow God with all my heart.

Motherhood has made me a better person. I love being a mother with all my heart. I can't wait to have a house full of little ones. As much as I am suppose to be teaching Carter, he is teaching me.

Motherhood is a gift from God. It doesn't matter how God decided to enrich your family with children: pregnancy, adoption, foster parenting. God brings children into our lives in many ways and each one is a little blessing. Mothering a child is the greatest, toughest, most fun, hardest, most rewarding, least appreciated, most enriching, most blessed job that a woman can have.

Each one is also a little mission field. A girl in my Bible Study Fellowship small group made a comment the other day that I really liked. She said that even though we still should be reaching out to people in our community, as mothers of young children, we need to remember that we have a house full of little non-believers that we need to lead to Christ as well. I just thought this was encouraging and a challenge all at the same time. God has called all mothers to the mission field of motherhood. Will you take the call? Will you say, "Here I am, Lord, choose me? Will you remember that above all else (good behavior, being respected, being nice and polite, having good manners, having good grades, not screaming in Target) your little ones at home need Jesus?

Just when you begin to think that this is a season in your life where you can't serve because you have little ones at home, remember that is your mission field and the harvest is plentiful!!

The Man

Here is my man. He is a good, Ephesians 5 man. I am very proud of how he listens to God and leads our family.

Let me start by saying that my husband may just kill me for putting this picture on here. So, if this is my last post, you know what happened!

Adam was coming over the fence and I asked him to stop and let me take some pictures. I was just playing around with my camera, not really anticipating a good picture. The lighting was good and I like the background. Adam thought he would be funny and pose as a joke. The shot actually turned out pretty good, with no editing. It also went along very well with my topic choice of the day...The Man.

This Sunday, the pastor spoke about the role of a man. This sparked the blog topic because roles of men and women are something I feel very strongly about. I am a very traditional woman and I have traditional views about these roles. If you are an avid feminist, you may want to stop reading now. Just kidding!

You see, God created both man and woman. He created them equal, but with different purposes, desires, roles in mind. Over time these roles have been skewed and turned into the opposite of how God desires us to live. God created men to step up and lead their families. Ephesians 5:23 says that the husband is to be the head over his wife. Ephesians 5 goes on the say that the wife should submit to her husband. This is hard for us women and it goes all the way back to Eve in Genesis. Genesis 3:16 says, "Then he said to the woman,“I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy,and in pain you will give birth.And you will desire to control your husband,but he will rule over you. ” The part that is interesting to me is the part that say we will want to control our husbands. When I look at many relationships today this is what I see. I see the wife controlling and bossing her husband around and then complaining because he won't lead in the home. Ephesians 5 also says that men are to love their wives as Christ loves the church. If each of would take responsibility for the role God has given us and let the other take responsibility for their role, I think marriages would look a lot different.

In conclusion...

Men, step up. Be the leader in your home. Pray with your family. Initiate Christ-centered living in your home, with your wife and children. Encourage your wife. Remind her that her role is important and remember to lead with her not be the master of her.

Women, stand down and give your man the opportunity to lead your family the way God intended. Pray with your husband and children. Support and encourage your husband. Let your children know what a wonderful father God has given them.

We are created equal, but with different purposes. No role is less important, just different. If both of us are trying to be the man, then who is filling the role God has laid out for the woman. I think all of us would agree we do not want our men filling the woman's role. We want our men to be men and we have to let them.