I was having "one of those days" recently. On top of some squirrely children, and a long day I wasn't feeling particularly patient either.
By the time Jonathan got home after 6, he "dismissed" me from my nighttime duties. Thank the Lord for the advent of the text message...he could brace himself ;) But really it was just a challenging day, and I was ready to have a break. In our house, in this season of life, we are working a LOT. Because all of our children are little, we do all the heavy lifting. So not only do we take care of the normal needs of a home that has two adults in it, we also pick up, clean, dress, and just generally serve our four children. I say this so you won't sound shocked when I tell you what a break to me is.
Mowing our lawn.
Yes, the loud engine and the therapeutic chopping of those little blades, row by perfect row, really is a good block of time for me to decompress a bit. I generally pray. It's a good place to sort out some things with the Lord, nowhere to go, and all ears behind that white noise where I can say anything in privacy. I am thankful that the Lord has been very good to meet me on our yard and speak to me on occasion a gentle conviction, or an encouraging word.
This particular day as I was minutes away from finishing the lawn, I still had not heard from the Lord. I had spent some time praying, and then some time listening (which is equally as important...in any relationship being a good listener is an integral part of a healthy exchange), but nothing. And then the lawn mower ran out of gas.
Not only was I so close to being done (how frustrating!), but I still had nothing from God.
I went inside dejected. A quick acknowledgement to Jonathan at the sink, who was cleaning up the dinner aftermath, and I made a beeline to our bathroom. In the shower, I stood staring at the bar of soap..."Nothing for me tonight, Lord? I need you." And then, in My Spirit it was this:
"Mowing the lawn, doing these chores, taking care of these children, this life isn't supposed to be bliss. If it was, you wouldn't be looking forward to Me. Your priorities are in order, when you view life as just preparation for eternity..."
Something like that.
Immediately I was thinking "Where is this in Scripture?!?!" Surely Paul has said something about this?! I started recalling little verses I had read, but nothing seemed to align with what I had heard just then. I went downstairs to talk to Jonathan about my encouragement and what the Lord had given me, asking him where if he knew of Scriptural support. It's so important that you find Scriptural support for things that the Lord gives you in times alone with Him. Enough said there.
That night I went to bed still looking for it. I stumbled on Romans 8:18, and found beginnings:
By the time Jonathan got home after 6, he "dismissed" me from my nighttime duties. Thank the Lord for the advent of the text message...he could brace himself ;) But really it was just a challenging day, and I was ready to have a break. In our house, in this season of life, we are working a LOT. Because all of our children are little, we do all the heavy lifting. So not only do we take care of the normal needs of a home that has two adults in it, we also pick up, clean, dress, and just generally serve our four children. I say this so you won't sound shocked when I tell you what a break to me is.
Mowing our lawn.
Yes, the loud engine and the therapeutic chopping of those little blades, row by perfect row, really is a good block of time for me to decompress a bit. I generally pray. It's a good place to sort out some things with the Lord, nowhere to go, and all ears behind that white noise where I can say anything in privacy. I am thankful that the Lord has been very good to meet me on our yard and speak to me on occasion a gentle conviction, or an encouraging word.
This particular day as I was minutes away from finishing the lawn, I still had not heard from the Lord. I had spent some time praying, and then some time listening (which is equally as important...in any relationship being a good listener is an integral part of a healthy exchange), but nothing. And then the lawn mower ran out of gas.
Not only was I so close to being done (how frustrating!), but I still had nothing from God.
I went inside dejected. A quick acknowledgement to Jonathan at the sink, who was cleaning up the dinner aftermath, and I made a beeline to our bathroom. In the shower, I stood staring at the bar of soap..."Nothing for me tonight, Lord? I need you." And then, in My Spirit it was this:
"Mowing the lawn, doing these chores, taking care of these children, this life isn't supposed to be bliss. If it was, you wouldn't be looking forward to Me. Your priorities are in order, when you view life as just preparation for eternity..."
Something like that.
Immediately I was thinking "Where is this in Scripture?!?!" Surely Paul has said something about this?! I started recalling little verses I had read, but nothing seemed to align with what I had heard just then. I went downstairs to talk to Jonathan about my encouragement and what the Lord had given me, asking him where if he knew of Scriptural support. It's so important that you find Scriptural support for things that the Lord gives you in times alone with Him. Enough said there.
That night I went to bed still looking for it. I stumbled on Romans 8:18, and found beginnings:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Romans 8:18-25
But I knew I hadn't found quite what I was looking for.
Everyone threw out their ideas, but my mother said Hebrews chapter 11...especially the amplified translation. Most people know this section as the "Hall of faith" in the first 12 verses, we are reminded of many faithful servants of the Lord, titans of faith if you will, and here it continues:
These people all died controlled and sustained by their faith, but not having received the tangible fulfillment of [God’s] promises, only having seen it and greeted it from a great distance by faith, and all the while acknowledging and confessing that they were strangers and temporary residents and exiles upon the earth.
Now those people who talk as they did show plainly that they are in search of a fatherland (their own country).
If they had been thinking with [homesick] remembrance of that country from which they were emigrants, they would have found constant opportunity to return to it.
But the truth is that they were yearning for and aspiring to a better and more desirable country, that is, a heavenly [one]. For that reason God is not ashamed to be called their God [even to be surnamed their God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob], for He has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:13-16
The last verse, verse 16, "For that reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God," is so beautiful. What a gorgeous picture of God's love for me right now. Would God consider me faithful like this? Would that context include me today? Oh Lord, what deep encouragement for a mother who wakes up and is doing my very best to just be faithful to the calling you have given our family. Oh thank you!
God, GOD!!!! is not ashamed to be called my God...how very intimately humbling. What a grand picture of His character.
Kiddos,
I've said this before, but I would be remiss not to highlight this again. I love you so much. You are little pieces of me, of your father, walking around, and the blessing that you are is indescribable, but that evening while mowing our lawn the God of the Universe reminded me that you are not my all in all. You kiddos are not where my treasure is. Perhaps I grasped that on some level. But here the practical application is that in our hard times as your parents, in my hard times as your mother, it is a deliberate reminder that I am in search of my fatherland, heaven, to be with The Lord. I am not supposed to be fulfilled here. AND NEITHER WILL YOU BE. This truth will sustain you through life. Grab ahold of it. You cannot rely on yourself, your happiness does not hinge on things, or people. Your joy, your purpose, your hope is in Christ alone. Your little souls will long for the One who made you, and long for eternity with Him. What a beautiful lens to view life through. Hallelujah!!!!I love you, I love you, I love you.
xoxo- Mommy
