I Take Joy

“Does not wisdom call,

And understanding lift up her voice?

On top of the heights beside the way,

Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,

At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

O naive ones, understand prudence;

And, O fools, understand wisdom.

Listen, for I will speak noble things;

And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.” ~Proverbs 8:1-6

 It’s always a joy when all my children find their way back to the nest, and this week of birthdays and  celebrating Rachael and Nathan’s engagement was no exception. Seems we have had a constant stream of meals eaten, dishes washed, and then repeating the routines again and again.

 Rousing discussions this weekend in our home with many friends who are in our lives and have different opinions about all the issues, as well as opinions about movies, church, books, actors, disasters and life. More serious discussions have stimulated our ideas as we talked  about how to reach a post-modern culture, about what is really important to the Lord and what is the balance between ideals and grace, passion and redemption.

 It has been good as always, for me to enter the world of the insightful thoughts and wisdom of my thinking and reading children who are now full-hearted adults,  and see how they think and to ask what my part is in offering truth in a way that can be understood. I see all of the input I receive from differing points of view as ways that God prepares me to be a better thinker and more insightful into the souls and ways of people and ultimately as a steward of His messages.

 I have spent much time pondering what the role of motherhood has played in the issues that rage in our country today. We are all busy and live in a hectic, fast-paced culture. Yet for every “advance” it seems there is a price that must be paid, a cost to battling in spiritual realms, whether we are aware of it or not.

 The vision I see is this: if mothers rise to be the gatekeepers, making their homes places of excellence, cultivating love for each other as well as reverence and worship of God, spending personal time teaching and discipling their children, keeping them from worshiping the idol of television and serving them through this training and nurture and giving up of her own time, there will be hope.

 Then a civilization will be born where the whole culture will be populated with adults who have great souls, a call to the Kingdom of God, a passion to do what is right, a desire to protect the weak, and an honest moral character that is the foundation of right decisions made in politics, medicine, government, media and the arts.

 Yes, it requires great personal sacrifice. But in the battle between evil and good, the allegiance between our commitment to our God or our bowing to Satan has always required sacrifice. Evil is never passive and never takes a break–and neither can God’s chosen ones cease to work tirelessly to be about His business.

 When mothers abandon this great and important responsibility, there is a greater tendency for children to become the kind of adults who can be self-centered and self-serving; under-developed and ineffective without intentional training, –those who can overlook unrighteousness without any pang of conscience—because that conscience has never been developed. They become the kind of adults who can passively let others take responsibility for our government and country–to accept and validate those who would promise the moon even though the moon isn’t available in reality. When a person has no convictions, he cannot operate his life in God’s strength. It is moms who help to develop foundations of righteousness in their children’s souls.

 For this gatekeeping to occur there must be hundreds—thousands—of dinners made, laundry loads run, backs scratched and cookies baked. There must be watercolor projects and messes, hikes and games of hide and seek, money spent on wonderful life-giving books and concerts and the theatre. It will not happen in the absence of a cost.

 Time spent ministering to our children is time well spent because that investment grants us the door to their hearts. When they are soft to us because we have ministered to their needs, their minds and hearts will be soft to hear our values, our convictions, and our guidance. Moms, the way you invest your life today will indeed have a great impact on history. We need to buck up, strengthen the areas that are weak, and decide to accept the work load of small children with joy, as would please our heavenly Father. The cultivating and raising of great souls is of the utmost importance.  Your life is making a difference. Take time in the word, take time to read those books which call you to excellence, spend time praying with friends of like mind–and don’t give up!

 “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” Hebrews 10:36

 Think about a special time you could have with your children that would soften their hearts toward you. What would you want to share with them during that time? Put it on the calendar!

 BE SURE TO JOIN ME TODAY AT MOMHEART.ORG WHERE I AM SHARING A WONDERFUL PORK ROAST RECIPE THAT I MADE UP LONG AGO–A FAVORITE FEAST OF OUR CHILDREN.