Thursday, February 14, 2013
Community Brainstorming Session
I realized today that in trying to not be idle I am looking well to my housework, but maybe not to the ways of my household. The dishes, laundry, clutter, and dust bunnies are not my household...they are my housework. So what are the ways of a household? I have some ideas, but I would really like to know your's. Please comment below and let's find out together what things I should be tending and what things might get in the way.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
When I Grow Up
You know how children want to be adults. They strive to be older, we strive to keep them young. They want to be a grown-up. We tell them to enjoy childhood because it is gone before you know it. You understand this cycle. Well, I feel like I'm having a child-like moment. I just want to be all grown up.
This not being idle business is kicking my tail. I'll do good for a morning, and bad in the afternoon. I'll have a good day followed by a bad one. It is two steps forward and three steps back, and I just want to be on the other side. Making myself wake up at 5:00 am was a walk in the park compared to not overly indulging in idleness. I only had to make the decision to wake up once a day, but staying busy is a choice I am faced with over and over again. I want it to be a habit to be busy, instead of a chore. I just want it to be what I do without thinking about it. I want this lesson to be learned.
I have an aunt by marriage that is the most amazing woman I know. I really do not think this is an exaggeration. She is kind, humble, hardworking, loving, well-read, talented, thrifty, and charitable. She loves her husband in a way that steals my breath and brings tears to my eyes when I catch a glimpse. The bread of idleness is just not in her pantry. Her children, all 4, rise up and call her blessed. Her grandchildren....all 22....rise up and call her blessed. Her great-grandchildren...22 with two on the way...rise up and call her blessed once they are old enough to recognize who and what she is. In short, she is my hero and inspiration, and if she knew I was publicly saying these things about her, I would be in trouble. I want to be Auntie when I grow up, and I want to be grown up now.
But Auntie didn't start out being the woman she is now. She was a young newly-wed once upon a time, learning what it was to be a good wife. She had to learn how to deal with difficult children and busy schedules without a full night's sleep. She had to fight weariness, sadness, frustration, and pain just like I do. She had to learn to deal with disappointment in herself and with others. She wasn't born wise. But she served God all of her life. She went through the fires of life, trusting God for strength, striving to serve Him. Now, she is as refined gold.
So when I chafe because I don't want to be "little" anymore, because I want to be "all grown up", I should remember that the fire refines the gold. Without one there cannot be the other. I won't have the wisdom of a lifetime until I have lived a lifetime. So I should listen to one who has lived the life I am now living, and I should heed my Aunt's advice when she tells me, "Treasure these days, they are gone too quickly." While it feels like this stage of life will last forever, just like my childhood, it will fly by and there will be no going back. While it feels like I will never get this lesson pounded into my stubborn and thick head, I must take a deep breath, trust God to give me strength, and try again. If I do that for many, many years, one day my children might rise up and call me blessed.
KJV Proverbs 31:30 "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."
This not being idle business is kicking my tail. I'll do good for a morning, and bad in the afternoon. I'll have a good day followed by a bad one. It is two steps forward and three steps back, and I just want to be on the other side. Making myself wake up at 5:00 am was a walk in the park compared to not overly indulging in idleness. I only had to make the decision to wake up once a day, but staying busy is a choice I am faced with over and over again. I want it to be a habit to be busy, instead of a chore. I just want it to be what I do without thinking about it. I want this lesson to be learned.
I have an aunt by marriage that is the most amazing woman I know. I really do not think this is an exaggeration. She is kind, humble, hardworking, loving, well-read, talented, thrifty, and charitable. She loves her husband in a way that steals my breath and brings tears to my eyes when I catch a glimpse. The bread of idleness is just not in her pantry. Her children, all 4, rise up and call her blessed. Her grandchildren....all 22....rise up and call her blessed. Her great-grandchildren...22 with two on the way...rise up and call her blessed once they are old enough to recognize who and what she is. In short, she is my hero and inspiration, and if she knew I was publicly saying these things about her, I would be in trouble. I want to be Auntie when I grow up, and I want to be grown up now.
But Auntie didn't start out being the woman she is now. She was a young newly-wed once upon a time, learning what it was to be a good wife. She had to learn how to deal with difficult children and busy schedules without a full night's sleep. She had to fight weariness, sadness, frustration, and pain just like I do. She had to learn to deal with disappointment in herself and with others. She wasn't born wise. But she served God all of her life. She went through the fires of life, trusting God for strength, striving to serve Him. Now, she is as refined gold.
So when I chafe because I don't want to be "little" anymore, because I want to be "all grown up", I should remember that the fire refines the gold. Without one there cannot be the other. I won't have the wisdom of a lifetime until I have lived a lifetime. So I should listen to one who has lived the life I am now living, and I should heed my Aunt's advice when she tells me, "Treasure these days, they are gone too quickly." While it feels like this stage of life will last forever, just like my childhood, it will fly by and there will be no going back. While it feels like I will never get this lesson pounded into my stubborn and thick head, I must take a deep breath, trust God to give me strength, and try again. If I do that for many, many years, one day my children might rise up and call me blessed.
My hero and her fella!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Idleness is Sneaky
Friday afternoon, my house looked great, one child was playing happily, the other was at a friend's house, I was making supper, and my husband was working on a project. "We are really humming along," I thought to myself. "This not eating idleness is really paying off." And it was. I had a great week and everything just flowed better. My breaks were ten minutes instead of sixty, which meant I got more work done and had more time to play with the children. I was more patient, they were better behaved, and HBON noticed the house was more orderly. It was working.
Then after supper Friday night, when my husband went to ball practice to pick up my daughter, I decided to be lazy "just for a while". A friend came home with my daughter to spend the night, so instead of cleaning up supper, I visited with the girls and then went to bed. Saturday morning I woke up, loaded most of the supper dishes into the dishwasher, made breakfast, got the laundry started, and then we all went down to clean the church. Then we went to a ball game, and then a baby shower. When I got home, I decided to rest and watch a ball game with my husband. Then he talked me into ordering a pizza and we watched a movie as a family. Then we went to bed. Sunday morning we woke up and rushed around and left for church at 8:15 am and arrived home at 4:00 pm. I laid down to rest and read. Then we watched the Super Bowl. Then we went to bed.
Now it is Monday morning, and as I survey the pile of dirty dishes....Saturday morning's breakfast dishes through Sunday nights supper dishes....and I look at the toys scattered everywhere, and the laundry that is not folded, and floor that was not swept...and as I feel the tension all of this causes settle into my shoulders, I am realizing the cost of idleness. But what gets me the most is I did not see myself as idling at the time. Resting...spending time with my family....taking a break....having fun.....but not being idle. Idleness can sneak up on us so quickly and quietly and rob us of our peace. Thirty minutes Friday night, one hour Saturday afternoon, 45 minutes Sunday afternoon...that is all it would have taken. I would still have had plenty of time with my family. Instead, I idly lazed around and now I must spend the day squeezing some pretty hefty cleaning into a school day.
Idleness is sneaky. Friday afternoon I thought I had it all under control. Monday morning, I know better. I should remember that pride goeth before a fall. I should remember that he that thinketh he standeth should take heed lest he fall. I should remember that idleness is a tool of Satan and is therefore subtle. Most of all, I should remember though I slip and fall and fail, that God never does, and He loves me and is for me. Remembering this makes trying again easier and even a little exciting. I have a chance today to serve God. That is a pretty wonderful to do list.
Then after supper Friday night, when my husband went to ball practice to pick up my daughter, I decided to be lazy "just for a while". A friend came home with my daughter to spend the night, so instead of cleaning up supper, I visited with the girls and then went to bed. Saturday morning I woke up, loaded most of the supper dishes into the dishwasher, made breakfast, got the laundry started, and then we all went down to clean the church. Then we went to a ball game, and then a baby shower. When I got home, I decided to rest and watch a ball game with my husband. Then he talked me into ordering a pizza and we watched a movie as a family. Then we went to bed. Sunday morning we woke up and rushed around and left for church at 8:15 am and arrived home at 4:00 pm. I laid down to rest and read. Then we watched the Super Bowl. Then we went to bed.
Now it is Monday morning, and as I survey the pile of dirty dishes....Saturday morning's breakfast dishes through Sunday nights supper dishes....and I look at the toys scattered everywhere, and the laundry that is not folded, and floor that was not swept...and as I feel the tension all of this causes settle into my shoulders, I am realizing the cost of idleness. But what gets me the most is I did not see myself as idling at the time. Resting...spending time with my family....taking a break....having fun.....but not being idle. Idleness can sneak up on us so quickly and quietly and rob us of our peace. Thirty minutes Friday night, one hour Saturday afternoon, 45 minutes Sunday afternoon...that is all it would have taken. I would still have had plenty of time with my family. Instead, I idly lazed around and now I must spend the day squeezing some pretty hefty cleaning into a school day.
Idleness is sneaky. Friday afternoon I thought I had it all under control. Monday morning, I know better. I should remember that pride goeth before a fall. I should remember that he that thinketh he standeth should take heed lest he fall. I should remember that idleness is a tool of Satan and is therefore subtle. Most of all, I should remember though I slip and fall and fail, that God never does, and He loves me and is for me. Remembering this makes trying again easier and even a little exciting. I have a chance today to serve God. That is a pretty wonderful to do list.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Be A Tortoise
We are all familiar with Aesop's fable involving the hare and the tortoise and their race. The hare dashed out with all speed, gained a huge lead, and then laid down on the side of the road for a nap. The tortoise plodded along at his slow, steady pace..never stopping until he had finished in first place. The moral of the story is slow and steady wins the race.
Too often I am like the hare when approaching my daily tasks. I get up, full of energy, and work like a mini hurricane for a few hours. And then I stop. I sit down to read a chapter, or check out one thing on the computer, or to just rest a few minutes. I am usually worn out, a little stressed, and the feeling of being overwhelmed is lurking somewhere nearby. The short break I was going to take turns into a hour and a half of wasted time. So I jump back up and run around some more working fast and furiously. I get tired. I stop to rest and the next thing I know it is time to make supper. I fly around the kitchen, throwing supper together, get everyone fed and I stop. So when I go to bed at night, the kitchen is dirty, the house has toys and the rest of the evening's activities strewn around, and I go to bed feeling like I worked all day to accomplish nothing. I am a hare.
Instead, I should be a tortoise I should work at a slow, steady pace on each task and should not stop until that task is finished. I should not burn up my energies in a bright flash of productivity, but I should run at a slow burn that will last all day long.
I have a cousin in law whose great grandfather lived to be 114. He was born in the late 1700's and died in the early 1900's. He quit farming in his early hundreds even though he could still out work some of the field hands. When asked the secret to long life he said, "Just take half a shovel at a time." By that he meant that you don't lift as much or run as fast as you can, but that you lift a reasonable amount at a reasonable pace and your body is not broken down by over exertion. Half a shovel full, all day long, will accomplish more than a whole shovel for a few hours with a long break in between.
It is like the man who lived in the city and was in a hurry to get to church. He was running behind, and he pulled up behind an older brother from the church who was known for his slow pace on the highway. Our harried brother whips into the other lane and passes our slow brother, only to be stopped at the traffic light. The two are side by side, waiting for the light to change, and they wave at each other. The light turns and our speedy brother stomps on the gas and flies up to the next red light. The slow brother eases up beside him and smiles and waves. The light turns and speedy races off again, and is stopped again by a light. And the slow brother eases up again, and waves and smiles again. This continues all the way through town until they arrive at the church one after the other. They arrive at the same place, about the same time, but consider their journeys. One was filled with stress, frustration, and exasperation the other with relaxation ease, and probably some amusement.
Slow and steady wins the race. I want to be a tortoise Hebrews 12:1 admonishes us to run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. With patience. Slow and steady. Not idle, but steady. Be a tortoise.
Too often I am like the hare when approaching my daily tasks. I get up, full of energy, and work like a mini hurricane for a few hours. And then I stop. I sit down to read a chapter, or check out one thing on the computer, or to just rest a few minutes. I am usually worn out, a little stressed, and the feeling of being overwhelmed is lurking somewhere nearby. The short break I was going to take turns into a hour and a half of wasted time. So I jump back up and run around some more working fast and furiously. I get tired. I stop to rest and the next thing I know it is time to make supper. I fly around the kitchen, throwing supper together, get everyone fed and I stop. So when I go to bed at night, the kitchen is dirty, the house has toys and the rest of the evening's activities strewn around, and I go to bed feeling like I worked all day to accomplish nothing. I am a hare.
Instead, I should be a tortoise I should work at a slow, steady pace on each task and should not stop until that task is finished. I should not burn up my energies in a bright flash of productivity, but I should run at a slow burn that will last all day long.
I have a cousin in law whose great grandfather lived to be 114. He was born in the late 1700's and died in the early 1900's. He quit farming in his early hundreds even though he could still out work some of the field hands. When asked the secret to long life he said, "Just take half a shovel at a time." By that he meant that you don't lift as much or run as fast as you can, but that you lift a reasonable amount at a reasonable pace and your body is not broken down by over exertion. Half a shovel full, all day long, will accomplish more than a whole shovel for a few hours with a long break in between.
It is like the man who lived in the city and was in a hurry to get to church. He was running behind, and he pulled up behind an older brother from the church who was known for his slow pace on the highway. Our harried brother whips into the other lane and passes our slow brother, only to be stopped at the traffic light. The two are side by side, waiting for the light to change, and they wave at each other. The light turns and our speedy brother stomps on the gas and flies up to the next red light. The slow brother eases up beside him and smiles and waves. The light turns and speedy races off again, and is stopped again by a light. And the slow brother eases up again, and waves and smiles again. This continues all the way through town until they arrive at the church one after the other. They arrive at the same place, about the same time, but consider their journeys. One was filled with stress, frustration, and exasperation the other with relaxation ease, and probably some amusement.
Slow and steady wins the race. I want to be a tortoise Hebrews 12:1 admonishes us to run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. With patience. Slow and steady. Not idle, but steady. Be a tortoise.
image from wikipedia
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Clarification
My last post about idleness has received no comments on this blog and only one private comment sent to other places. However, this private comment, which I GREATLY appreciated, made it clear to me that I was unclear in my previous post. I particularly think the following paragraph needs a further explanation.
So the Proverb is saying the virtuous woman does not indulge in, dream of, focus on, center her thoughts and time around... idleness. She doesn't work so that she can be done and read a book. She doesn't have daydreams of soaking up some rays and sipping a cool drink. Her money and efforts are not geared toward entertainment. Instead, she looketh well to the ways of her household. Her efforts, thoughts, attention, goals, and focus pertain to her household, not herself.
I do not think it is a terrible thing for a woman to take some time to read a book, enjoy a vacation, or get a manicure. I do not think it is wrong for a woman to spend a night out with her girlfriends, to go on a walk by herself, or take a bubble bath. All of these things are fine.....IF they are not the focus of our life; if we recognize that these blessings are luxuries and not the first things in our lives. Contrast these two scenarios.
Our first woman does the dishes, laundry, cooks supper, and picks up the same toys every day. The whole time she is working she is grumbling. "I"ll never get this laundry done. I hate cooking everyday. I just want everyone to leave me alone. Can't they pick up after themselves? etc" All she wants to do is get through the mundane stuff so she can get to the best part of living....reading that book, or soaking in that bubble bath. She tells the kids to get out of her way and go play so she can just get her work done. When she finally does get to her free time, the children interrupt her and the third time they do, she snaps. She tells the kids to just get out and leave her alone.
Our second woman also does the dishes, laundry, cooks supper and picks up the same toys every day. The whole time she is praising God for the ability to be able to care for her family and for the fact she has a family to love. "So long as there is laundry, we have clothes on our back. Thank the Lord I have something to feed this crew for supper. I need to spend a little time with these kids reading a book. We need to work together as a family to pick up our mess." All she wants is a happy, peaceful, well run household. And when she sits down to read her book or take her bubble bath, she has peace and quiet because she has spent time with her children, tending them and her household.
I have been both of these women. The actions of washing the dishes, laundry, child care, etc are the same, but the attitude is sooooo different. The difference is what they consider to be "real" living. The first woman thinks times of relaxation are what life is all about. She strives to relax. The second woman thinks "real" living is finding the joy in everyday tasks. She is relaxed. The first woman's thought are centered on herself, the second on her household and her Lord. The first woman's whole day is filled with vexation, but the second woman's day is filled with joy and peace.
I do believe taking time for yourself is important. Charging our batteries is necessary to caring for those we love. Vacations are marvelous opportunities to reconnect with those closest to us without the distractions that clog so many of our lives, and looking forward to that is understandable. A day at the beauty shop is a blessing to be enjoyed for the sake of making ourselves more attractive to our husbands and releasing some of the tension that builds up in every woman on the face of the planet. BUT, and here is the crux of this step, the reason for time to ourselves is to better serve our God and those He has blessed us to care for. If we only find joy in our free time, we will be miserable. When the focus becomes to serve self....THAT is eating the bread of idleness. When the statements "I deserve this" or "I've earned the right" enter into our heads, we should stop and examine ourselves. Being idle is doing nothing. Preparing yourself to serve others is not an exercise in idleness. Serving yourself is.
That is what I meant by bread being the sustenance or the thing that energizes us. What attitude energizes me? An attitude of service or of selfishness? Fixing a bad attitude is hard, because we find so many ways to excuse our attitude. So my goal is to spend more time as woman number two, and try to tell woman number one to hit the road. I hope this is a better explanation of this step.
So the Proverb is saying the virtuous woman does not indulge in, dream of, focus on, center her thoughts and time around... idleness. She doesn't work so that she can be done and read a book. She doesn't have daydreams of soaking up some rays and sipping a cool drink. Her money and efforts are not geared toward entertainment. Instead, she looketh well to the ways of her household. Her efforts, thoughts, attention, goals, and focus pertain to her household, not herself.
I do not think it is a terrible thing for a woman to take some time to read a book, enjoy a vacation, or get a manicure. I do not think it is wrong for a woman to spend a night out with her girlfriends, to go on a walk by herself, or take a bubble bath. All of these things are fine.....IF they are not the focus of our life; if we recognize that these blessings are luxuries and not the first things in our lives. Contrast these two scenarios.
Our first woman does the dishes, laundry, cooks supper, and picks up the same toys every day. The whole time she is working she is grumbling. "I"ll never get this laundry done. I hate cooking everyday. I just want everyone to leave me alone. Can't they pick up after themselves? etc" All she wants to do is get through the mundane stuff so she can get to the best part of living....reading that book, or soaking in that bubble bath. She tells the kids to get out of her way and go play so she can just get her work done. When she finally does get to her free time, the children interrupt her and the third time they do, she snaps. She tells the kids to just get out and leave her alone.
Our second woman also does the dishes, laundry, cooks supper and picks up the same toys every day. The whole time she is praising God for the ability to be able to care for her family and for the fact she has a family to love. "So long as there is laundry, we have clothes on our back. Thank the Lord I have something to feed this crew for supper. I need to spend a little time with these kids reading a book. We need to work together as a family to pick up our mess." All she wants is a happy, peaceful, well run household. And when she sits down to read her book or take her bubble bath, she has peace and quiet because she has spent time with her children, tending them and her household.
I have been both of these women. The actions of washing the dishes, laundry, child care, etc are the same, but the attitude is sooooo different. The difference is what they consider to be "real" living. The first woman thinks times of relaxation are what life is all about. She strives to relax. The second woman thinks "real" living is finding the joy in everyday tasks. She is relaxed. The first woman's thought are centered on herself, the second on her household and her Lord. The first woman's whole day is filled with vexation, but the second woman's day is filled with joy and peace.
I do believe taking time for yourself is important. Charging our batteries is necessary to caring for those we love. Vacations are marvelous opportunities to reconnect with those closest to us without the distractions that clog so many of our lives, and looking forward to that is understandable. A day at the beauty shop is a blessing to be enjoyed for the sake of making ourselves more attractive to our husbands and releasing some of the tension that builds up in every woman on the face of the planet. BUT, and here is the crux of this step, the reason for time to ourselves is to better serve our God and those He has blessed us to care for. If we only find joy in our free time, we will be miserable. When the focus becomes to serve self....THAT is eating the bread of idleness. When the statements "I deserve this" or "I've earned the right" enter into our heads, we should stop and examine ourselves. Being idle is doing nothing. Preparing yourself to serve others is not an exercise in idleness. Serving yourself is.
That is what I meant by bread being the sustenance or the thing that energizes us. What attitude energizes me? An attitude of service or of selfishness? Fixing a bad attitude is hard, because we find so many ways to excuse our attitude. So my goal is to spend more time as woman number two, and try to tell woman number one to hit the road. I hope this is a better explanation of this step.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Bread of Idleness
KJV Proverbs 31: 27 "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness"
When planning this series of baby steps in my mind, I thought I would probably focus on health matters as the second step; exercising, eating right, not being a glutton. But the above scripture has invaded my mind, and every time I turn away from it I feel wrong. And I want to turn away from it. I don't like this scripture.
That's a pretty terrible thing to say, isn't it? But it is true. I don't want to take this baby step. I like my bread of idleness. I work all day to achieve a few moments of idleness here and there. I dream about being idle...doing nothing. A perfect day would involve me, a good book, the beach, and someone to bring me refreshment whenever I snapped my fingers. Or it would involve my family having a day where all we did was play. No meal prep, no discipline, no routine Just doing what we want when we feel like it. Idleness. Idleness is so....appealing. So when the scriptures tell me that a virtuous woman does not eat the bread of idleness, I would just as soon skip that part.
But I can't.
If I believe that Proverbs contains infinite wisdom, and I do; if I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, and I do; if I believe that those who conform their lives to the word of God will live a more blessed and happy life, and I do; then I can't hide from this scripture.
So baby step number 2 is to not eat the bread of idleness.
This does not mean the virtuous woman is never idle....I think (I hope I am not deceiving myself). See, in those days, bread was used for sustenance It did not require meat and cheese to form it into a meal. The bread of Bible times was hearty, nutritious, and filling. It was real food. It sustained life. To prove this point, consider John 6:48 (KJV) where Christ says "I am that bread of life." Do you think He was saying "If you take me and add a little of this and a little of that you will have everlasting life"? Or was He saying "I an the sustenance of everlasting life?" I believe the latter.
So the Proverb is saying the virtuous woman does not indulge in, dream of, focus on, center her thoughts and time around... idleness. She doesn't work so that she can be done and read a book. She doesn't have daydreams of soaking up some rays and sipping a cool drink. Her money and efforts are not geared toward entertainment. Instead, she looketh well to the ways of her household. Her efforts, thoughts, attention, goals, and focus pertain to her household, not herself.
Isn't that really what idleness is about....self. I'm too tired. I deserve this. I did my time. All these statements are used to excuse idleness. I....I....I......
So baby step number 2 is to not eat the bread of idleness, to look well to my household's ways, to keep busy, and to rest only when rest is needed, not so much whenever it is wanted. And I need you, dear reader, to keep me honest. If you disagree with what I have written above, please, let me know. As I continue this series of post, if I seem reluctant to go where I need to, or if I am in flat out denial, call me out. My flesh has been fighting this step for days, and I am scared of deceiving myself. So, please, in all seriousness, help me and pray for me. This is not going to be easy. I think I would rather diet, or get a root canal. Okay, that is probably an exaggeration. Probably.
When planning this series of baby steps in my mind, I thought I would probably focus on health matters as the second step; exercising, eating right, not being a glutton. But the above scripture has invaded my mind, and every time I turn away from it I feel wrong. And I want to turn away from it. I don't like this scripture.
That's a pretty terrible thing to say, isn't it? But it is true. I don't want to take this baby step. I like my bread of idleness. I work all day to achieve a few moments of idleness here and there. I dream about being idle...doing nothing. A perfect day would involve me, a good book, the beach, and someone to bring me refreshment whenever I snapped my fingers. Or it would involve my family having a day where all we did was play. No meal prep, no discipline, no routine Just doing what we want when we feel like it. Idleness. Idleness is so....appealing. So when the scriptures tell me that a virtuous woman does not eat the bread of idleness, I would just as soon skip that part.
But I can't.
If I believe that Proverbs contains infinite wisdom, and I do; if I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, and I do; if I believe that those who conform their lives to the word of God will live a more blessed and happy life, and I do; then I can't hide from this scripture.
So baby step number 2 is to not eat the bread of idleness.
This does not mean the virtuous woman is never idle....I think (I hope I am not deceiving myself). See, in those days, bread was used for sustenance It did not require meat and cheese to form it into a meal. The bread of Bible times was hearty, nutritious, and filling. It was real food. It sustained life. To prove this point, consider John 6:48 (KJV) where Christ says "I am that bread of life." Do you think He was saying "If you take me and add a little of this and a little of that you will have everlasting life"? Or was He saying "I an the sustenance of everlasting life?" I believe the latter.
So the Proverb is saying the virtuous woman does not indulge in, dream of, focus on, center her thoughts and time around... idleness. She doesn't work so that she can be done and read a book. She doesn't have daydreams of soaking up some rays and sipping a cool drink. Her money and efforts are not geared toward entertainment. Instead, she looketh well to the ways of her household. Her efforts, thoughts, attention, goals, and focus pertain to her household, not herself.
Isn't that really what idleness is about....self. I'm too tired. I deserve this. I did my time. All these statements are used to excuse idleness. I....I....I......
So baby step number 2 is to not eat the bread of idleness, to look well to my household's ways, to keep busy, and to rest only when rest is needed, not so much whenever it is wanted. And I need you, dear reader, to keep me honest. If you disagree with what I have written above, please, let me know. As I continue this series of post, if I seem reluctant to go where I need to, or if I am in flat out denial, call me out. My flesh has been fighting this step for days, and I am scared of deceiving myself. So, please, in all seriousness, help me and pray for me. This is not going to be easy. I think I would rather diet, or get a root canal. Okay, that is probably an exaggeration. Probably.
Friday, January 18, 2013
The Conclusion of the Matter
I feel like it is time to move on to the next step, but before I do, I want to summarize my experience in taking this step. First, waking up at 5:00 am every day is tough. On days my husband has to be out of the door by 5:50 am, it makes sense. On the days he stays home, it does not. So we have decided to get up at 6:00 am on the days he is off, and at 5:00 am when he works. This seems to be a more realistic schedule, and we wake up happier all week long.
I LOVE waking up early. I do not love getting out of my warm bed to step onto a cold floor, having a dream disturbed, or prying my heavy eyelids off of my eyeballs. But once these steps have been taken, I enjoy the morning. I enjoy time with my husband before he goes to work, a quiet house in which to read my Bible and pray, a peaceful hour to myself before the wrangling of children begins, and the feeling of starting my day on time. I feel calmer all day long because I have had time to direct my thoughts above and to recognize that any trials I face today are little compared to the glory of heaven and the majesty of God. I feel like praying in the morning has made my days smoother. I don't know if it is because God has smoothed my path or if He has soothed my soul, but either way the days just go better when I stop and pray in the morning. My family is happier, and so am I.
My previous routine involved sleeping until the children woke me. I still had to get out of my warm bed. My dreams were still disturbed upon awaking, and I still had to pry open my eyelids. I spent no time with my husband before he left for the day. I haphazardly read my Bible between demands from children if I read it at all. Morning prayers were a quick plea for help and patience. I struggled to get my mind around everything I had to accomplish that day, and I hit the ground running, but always felt a step or two behind. I felt stressed, short tempered, and overwhelmed. I wanted to be left alone for a few days to just charge my batteries, and my emotions were very close to the surface making them harder to control. I would get angry quickly, snap, and then be encompassed in a sea of guilt. I felt like I was failing my family.
When these two routines are contrasted, the choice seems pretty obvious. You might think that after a few weeks to adjust, I would just pop out of bed and hit the ground running. You might think that the benefits are so abundant that I would eagerly arise to start my day. But I find that the reality is, every morning, I have to make a decision to not give in to the voices telling me I deserve another hour of sleep. I have to decide EVERY morning to get up. I have to decide to sacrifice sloth to gain peace. I have to choose obedience, trusting blessings will follow. I have found it to be so, but I still have to remind myself of that fact every time the alarm goes off. Waking up is not easy, but it is good. The words of this hymn say it better than I ever could.
I LOVE waking up early. I do not love getting out of my warm bed to step onto a cold floor, having a dream disturbed, or prying my heavy eyelids off of my eyeballs. But once these steps have been taken, I enjoy the morning. I enjoy time with my husband before he goes to work, a quiet house in which to read my Bible and pray, a peaceful hour to myself before the wrangling of children begins, and the feeling of starting my day on time. I feel calmer all day long because I have had time to direct my thoughts above and to recognize that any trials I face today are little compared to the glory of heaven and the majesty of God. I feel like praying in the morning has made my days smoother. I don't know if it is because God has smoothed my path or if He has soothed my soul, but either way the days just go better when I stop and pray in the morning. My family is happier, and so am I.
My previous routine involved sleeping until the children woke me. I still had to get out of my warm bed. My dreams were still disturbed upon awaking, and I still had to pry open my eyelids. I spent no time with my husband before he left for the day. I haphazardly read my Bible between demands from children if I read it at all. Morning prayers were a quick plea for help and patience. I struggled to get my mind around everything I had to accomplish that day, and I hit the ground running, but always felt a step or two behind. I felt stressed, short tempered, and overwhelmed. I wanted to be left alone for a few days to just charge my batteries, and my emotions were very close to the surface making them harder to control. I would get angry quickly, snap, and then be encompassed in a sea of guilt. I felt like I was failing my family.
When these two routines are contrasted, the choice seems pretty obvious. You might think that after a few weeks to adjust, I would just pop out of bed and hit the ground running. You might think that the benefits are so abundant that I would eagerly arise to start my day. But I find that the reality is, every morning, I have to make a decision to not give in to the voices telling me I deserve another hour of sleep. I have to decide EVERY morning to get up. I have to decide to sacrifice sloth to gain peace. I have to choose obedience, trusting blessings will follow. I have found it to be so, but I still have to remind myself of that fact every time the alarm goes off. Waking up is not easy, but it is good. The words of this hymn say it better than I ever could.
Walk With God
from the Harp of Ages
Darrene Nowlin Collins Morris Nowlin
"I love the quietness of the morning, the peaceful beauty of the day. I love to go into my bower and humbly bow my head and pray."
"Oh what a joy and peace it gives me, to talk to Jesus in a prayer. It gives me hope and consolation. It lifts me from my every care."
"Things seem brighter in the morning, as God so boldly shows His face. It makes me want to shout His praises, and thank Him for amazing grace."
"Oh, may His grace and mercy guide me, that when it's finished I can say, when the evening sun is setting, I have walked with God today."
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